it appears that physics seems to limit it's use for really high speeds. In my neighborhood with DSL I might get 1.5 Mbit/s down and 0.7 Mbit/s up. No way could this be used for HD video streaming.
Just want to point out that that has nothing at all to do with DSL technology, and everything to do with your local telco's implementation of it. Our local telco provides TV service over DSL lines, the most common package right now allows for 3 streaming HD channels, 1 streaming SD channel, and 25Mbps internet, all at the same time, and is available to probably about 70% of the city, another 25% or so can do 2HD, 1SD, 15Mbps. (They do offer 3HD, 1SD, 50Mbps plans too, but the uptake on them isn't that high yet) DSL has it's limits, but in most places the limit is what the telco wants to do, not what DSL is capable of.
Disclaimer: I don't live in the US, I live in a country with fewer people and a larger land area, I also live in a place with pretty heavy competition between the local telco, and the local cableco.
Interesting, here it is common for either the cable company, or the telco to negotiate agreements with property management companies, but they are never exclusive. The common one run by the local telco is that if you move in to a partnered building you get free 15mbps internet and basic TV service for the first year (cost is actually split between the property management company and the telco) (you can choose to add channel packages a-la-carte, on top of that, but if you want higher speed internet you waive the free offer). You can however choose to pay the cable company instead if you would prefer not to have the free service. (I know the local cable company has some form of special offer too in some places, but I'm not as familiar with how they set it up) That said, you are limited to either cable or telco as nobody else is running wires in to the building, and most property management companies won't allow you to put up a dish, even if your unit is facing the right direction.
As I said in my initial post, all depends what they use. Our fibre has no metal at all in the fibre or the conduit. Locates are done by sliding a metal fish tape temporarily in to the conduit, or more frequently by locating the power utility lines that are buried in the same trench.
I work for said telco. My job is installing and repairing both the copper and the fibre. So yes, I have used them. We aren't talking the wires they sell at radio shack here. And I'm not taking about the coloured coating on the copper itself within the sheath. I'm talking about the sheath itself. The fibres have a few layers of protection. First there is a coating directly on the fibre, this is basically just to stop it from breaking under it's own weight when you have a few inches exposed. Next is the buffer tube which limits accidental over bending. Next is a fibreglass yarn that protects against some impact damage and provides some tensile strength. Then comes the outer sheath that also has kevlar strands to protect against over stretching and provide more resistance against over bending. Finally the whole thing is placed underground in a plastic conduit. There is no metal at all.
Depends what they are using. The fibre used by our local telecom has no metal shield, there's no reason for it. The metal shield on copper is to limit RF interference. glass doesn't have that problem. (and before you say the metal is to protect from physical damage, actually look at the cables used by telcos. the metal is paper thin and wouldn't protect against anything, it's the plastic sheath that offers the physical protection, not the metal.)
My TV provider has apps to let you watch TV shows and movies on your tablet, computer and phone, these are free with your subscription. I tried to do things legally, but the web app won't run on Linux on the PC due to it using DRM in silverlight, and refuses to run on rooted phones or tablets. Some of the TV shows also make sure you are on your home wifi before they allow you to play, and only 2 or 3 devices are allowed to be registered. I download the content instead. Now I get shows and movies I can watch anywhere on any device at any time. As an added bonus the stuff I download is commercial free, unlike the stuff they won't let me watch on my terms. Now I look at my monthly TV bill and wonder why I pay it at all? I suppose it makes me feel more entitled to the downloads, even though they are being provided by the Internet community and not by the TV provider, (after all, I'm watching the same things I'm supposed be allowed to watch on the apps I can't run due to DRM) but I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing DRM as pushing me away from the media companies instead of toward them.
several differences, without email, or other electronic delivery options, everything had to be mailed, economies of scale helped tremendously. also unions, they used to pay a living wage, now a postman makes far more with no education than many highly educated professionals. unions have priced themselves out of the market.
And as an EMT, (a profession that generally starts a lot more IVs) I would love to have this tech available. It's not an either or situation. seeing the veins is a great first step to evaluating which one to use. You don't cannulate the first vein you see, you still have to evaluate the suitability of each one, but being able to see them would be a great start. Limiting yourself to palpation based on anatomy can often miss good veins that are a little too deep or not quite where you expect them (not every person has identical vein locations) this wouldn't be needed for all IV starts. But on some of the more difficult ones this could really help a lot.
Canadian banks all have chip and pin now too, but it is used only for debit card transactions.(Bank machines and in store purchases). I am not aware of any Canadian bank that uses anything more than account number and password to use online banking, and I know of one that required (at last check) a 4 digit purely numeric password. I am quite disappointed in the complete lack of any security for online banking and purchases in this country.
You forgot 4) most foreign governments will do anything they can to please the USA and/or already have similar programs in effect. Not to me mention the point made by several others that much of this surveillance is being done either without a warrant or with a warrant to your upstream provider rather than to you.
Looking at my last Enmax bill (Calgary Alberta) and after removing the portions for water, natural gas, garbage pickup, recycling, sewer and drainage... Electricity use: 458kWh 8c/kWh = 36.64 Administration 6.54 Distribution 12.81 Transmission 8.91 Balancing pool allocation -2.59 Rate riders 3.68 Local access fee 8.10 Goods and Services Tax 3.70 Total: 77.79
If I were to invest heavily in solar, I could theoretically reduce my bill by 36.64 (plus tax), but that still leaves me on the hook for more than half of it, even if I consume net zero. combine that with the complete lack of any subsidies or grants available in my jurisdiction, and it's a hard sell until I can find a way to go off grid completely.
As others have pointed out, it seems like the best choice would be to completely separate the fixed and variable costs on the bill (not just for solar producers, but for everyone) so that everyone pays the fixed portion that keeps the wires in the air and the people from being electrocuted, and then a use charge for how much they use. For a solar producer the fixed charge would be identical to their neighbour who doesn't produce, but the variable portion would be way lower (or even negative) A special charge for just the solar producers is entirely the wrong way to go about it.
Is that really how it works there? my bill has large fixed costs in addition to the variable costs. I haven't gone solar because even getting my usage down to zero would still leave me with a bill of over $50/month in fixed charges. Our utility has been smart, they keep the variable cost low (8c/kwh) and make all sorts of claims about cheap power, but they ding you in admin fees, distribution fees, generation fees, etc etc. The only way it makes sense to go solar here is if you can go off grid completely, but that adds a lot more expense and complexity.
Maybe US power companies are more generous than Canadian ones, but I can tell you the big reason I haven't gone solar is because I wouldn't get out of those fees. I pay 8c/kwh (sounds reasonably cheap) yet 400kwh/month seems to work out to over $100 (interesting math...) basically the bill is full of connection fees, distribution fees, administrative fees, generation fees, etc. which are all separate from the cost of electricity of 8c/kwh. End result is that although I could net meter and reduce my liability on that 8c/kwh, even getting it down to zero wouldn't drop my bill by enough to be worth it. The only way it would actually make sense to go solar around here would be to also go off grid, which adds a lot of expense and kills any incentive.
As for this $4 fee... last I heard, our electric company had a program where you could buy solar sells from them and net-meter, their admin fee (on top of everything else) was over $30/month... so I don't see why people complain about $4!
What part of capitalism involves a government granted monopoly on an idea? Copyright is not capitalism. It is direct interference by the government preventing a capitalist solution.
I'm not saying that capitalism/socialism/communism/anarchy or any other system is ideal. Only that we can't even start to look at the merits of any system as long as people can't seem to identify the basic characteristics of each. People seem to think that what we have now is capitalism. And while it does have certain traits related to that system, it is not purely capitalist, and in fact copyright is a big example of a part that is not.
That's simple, we've seen it many times. 10% discount for automated cars... and everyone's insurance is going up 15% this year... The end result is everyone's rates will be at least what they are now, or higher, but you'll be penalized extra if you don't go with the automated car. And as a bonus, they get positive publicity for the discount they gave owners of automated cars, while the rate increase for everyone (including those drivers) gets glossed over.
Or maybe you should just do what the rest of the world does and tie your borrowing to your spending? Where I live, if the government passes a bill saying they are spending 2 billion dollars on X, that automatically gives them permission to borrow whatever amount makes it happen. The two things are not separate acts. Additionally, if a government can't pass a budget, the government dissolves and an election is called. This stalemate holding the world hostage simply can not happen in most countries.
The US needs to get their dysfunctional system in order.
You're right that seizing an aircraft carrier would never work, best case nothing would happen and the aircraft carrier would sail home after a big scandal, worst case there would be all out war. They could easily however evict a military base (and there are PLENTY of those around the world that aren't on US soil). give them a month or two notice and tell them to get out. Most likely outcome would be that the nation in question would get a military base, minus the actual military hardware, and the US would be unlikely to be willing to go to war over it.
Actually I routinely plug my phone in on my bedside table in the dark. And I still have never had any trouble doing so. It's simply not a problem. You try one orientation, if it doesn't go in you flip it over and plug it in. At maximum it might take an extra 2-3 seconds, and even then only half the time. Meanwhile by using the micro usb standard I get the advantage that one charger works for every device I own, and all but one of my friends' devices use the same cable (one hold out with an iPhone) Additionally the cables are dirt cheap (usually less than $5) and support full HD video over mhl. The lightning connector has one very minor advantage (multi orientation) but adds a multitude of disadvantages (lack of standards compliance, price and availability of replacements, low quality video)
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I'm not in the USA... here every property manager, or condo board can (and in fact does) ban satellite dishes.
That's only a 37.5 hour work week... what? you don't expect pay for that half hour lunch break do you?
it appears that physics seems to limit it's use for really high speeds. In my neighborhood with DSL I might get 1.5 Mbit/s down and 0.7 Mbit/s up. No way could this be used for HD video streaming.
Just want to point out that that has nothing at all to do with DSL technology, and everything to do with your local telco's implementation of it. Our local telco provides TV service over DSL lines, the most common package right now allows for 3 streaming HD channels, 1 streaming SD channel, and 25Mbps internet, all at the same time, and is available to probably about 70% of the city, another 25% or so can do 2HD, 1SD, 15Mbps. (They do offer 3HD, 1SD, 50Mbps plans too, but the uptake on them isn't that high yet)
DSL has it's limits, but in most places the limit is what the telco wants to do, not what DSL is capable of.
Disclaimer: I don't live in the US, I live in a country with fewer people and a larger land area, I also live in a place with pretty heavy competition between the local telco, and the local cableco.
Interesting, here it is common for either the cable company, or the telco to negotiate agreements with property management companies, but they are never exclusive. The common one run by the local telco is that if you move in to a partnered building you get free 15mbps internet and basic TV service for the first year (cost is actually split between the property management company and the telco) (you can choose to add channel packages a-la-carte, on top of that, but if you want higher speed internet you waive the free offer). You can however choose to pay the cable company instead if you would prefer not to have the free service. (I know the local cable company has some form of special offer too in some places, but I'm not as familiar with how they set it up)
That said, you are limited to either cable or telco as nobody else is running wires in to the building, and most property management companies won't allow you to put up a dish, even if your unit is facing the right direction.
As I said in my initial post, all depends what they use. Our fibre has no metal at all in the fibre or the conduit. Locates are done by sliding a metal fish tape temporarily in to the conduit, or more frequently by locating the power utility lines that are buried in the same trench.
You think Google won't need those same monkeys?
I work for said telco. My job is installing and repairing both the copper and the fibre. So yes, I have used them. We aren't talking the wires they sell at radio shack here. And I'm not taking about the coloured coating on the copper itself within the sheath. I'm talking about the sheath itself. The fibres have a few layers of protection. First there is a coating directly on the fibre, this is basically just to stop it from breaking under it's own weight when you have a few inches exposed. Next is the buffer tube which limits accidental over bending. Next is a fibreglass yarn that protects against some impact damage and provides some tensile strength. Then comes the outer sheath that also has kevlar strands to protect against over stretching and provide more resistance against over bending. Finally the whole thing is placed underground in a plastic conduit. There is no metal at all.
Who's going to cry when the local Comcast or Time Warner is boarded up?
Depends what they are using. The fibre used by our local telecom has no metal shield, there's no reason for it. The metal shield on copper is to limit RF interference. glass doesn't have that problem.
(and before you say the metal is to protect from physical damage, actually look at the cables used by telcos. the metal is paper thin and wouldn't protect against anything, it's the plastic sheath that offers the physical protection, not the metal.)
My TV provider has apps to let you watch TV shows and movies on your tablet, computer and phone, these are free with your subscription. I tried to do things legally, but the web app won't run on Linux on the PC due to it using DRM in silverlight, and refuses to run on rooted phones or tablets. Some of the TV shows also make sure you are on your home wifi before they allow you to play, and only 2 or 3 devices are allowed to be registered.
I download the content instead. Now I get shows and movies I can watch anywhere on any device at any time. As an added bonus the stuff I download is commercial free, unlike the stuff they won't let me watch on my terms. Now I look at my monthly TV bill and wonder why I pay it at all? I suppose it makes me feel more entitled to the downloads, even though they are being provided by the Internet community and not by the TV provider, (after all, I'm watching the same things I'm supposed be allowed to watch on the apps I can't run due to DRM) but I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing DRM as pushing me away from the media companies instead of toward them.
several differences, without email, or other electronic delivery options, everything had to be mailed, economies of scale helped tremendously.
also unions, they used to pay a living wage, now a postman makes far more with no education than many highly educated professionals. unions have priced themselves out of the market.
They don't surgically remove your fingers when they issue you the glasses. You're allowed to do both...
And as an EMT, (a profession that generally starts a lot more IVs) I would love to have this tech available. It's not an either or situation. seeing the veins is a great first step to evaluating which one to use. You don't cannulate the first vein you see, you still have to evaluate the suitability of each one, but being able to see them would be a great start. Limiting yourself to palpation based on anatomy can often miss good veins that are a little too deep or not quite where you expect them (not every person has identical vein locations) this wouldn't be needed for all IV starts. But on some of the more difficult ones this could really help a lot.
Canadian banks all have chip and pin now too, but it is used only for debit card transactions.(Bank machines and in store purchases). I am not aware of any Canadian bank that uses anything more than account number and password to use online banking, and I know of one that required (at last check) a 4 digit purely numeric password. I am quite disappointed in the complete lack of any security for online banking and purchases in this country.
You forgot 4) most foreign governments will do anything they can to please the USA and/or already have similar programs in effect.
Not to me mention the point made by several others that much of this surveillance is being done either without a warrant or with a warrant to your upstream provider rather than to you.
Looking at my last Enmax bill (Calgary Alberta) and after removing the portions for water, natural gas, garbage pickup, recycling, sewer and drainage...
Electricity use: 458kWh
8c/kWh = 36.64
Administration 6.54
Distribution 12.81
Transmission 8.91
Balancing pool allocation -2.59
Rate riders 3.68
Local access fee 8.10
Goods and Services Tax 3.70
Total: 77.79
If I were to invest heavily in solar, I could theoretically reduce my bill by 36.64 (plus tax), but that still leaves me on the hook for more than half of it, even if I consume net zero. combine that with the complete lack of any subsidies or grants available in my jurisdiction, and it's a hard sell until I can find a way to go off grid completely.
As others have pointed out, it seems like the best choice would be to completely separate the fixed and variable costs on the bill (not just for solar producers, but for everyone) so that everyone pays the fixed portion that keeps the wires in the air and the people from being electrocuted, and then a use charge for how much they use. For a solar producer the fixed charge would be identical to their neighbour who doesn't produce, but the variable portion would be way lower (or even negative)
A special charge for just the solar producers is entirely the wrong way to go about it.
Is that really how it works there? my bill has large fixed costs in addition to the variable costs. I haven't gone solar because even getting my usage down to zero would still leave me with a bill of over $50/month in fixed charges. Our utility has been smart, they keep the variable cost low (8c/kwh) and make all sorts of claims about cheap power, but they ding you in admin fees, distribution fees, generation fees, etc etc. The only way it makes sense to go solar here is if you can go off grid completely, but that adds a lot more expense and complexity.
Maybe US power companies are more generous than Canadian ones, but I can tell you the big reason I haven't gone solar is because I wouldn't get out of those fees. I pay 8c/kwh (sounds reasonably cheap) yet 400kwh/month seems to work out to over $100 (interesting math...) basically the bill is full of connection fees, distribution fees, administrative fees, generation fees, etc. which are all separate from the cost of electricity of 8c/kwh.
End result is that although I could net meter and reduce my liability on that 8c/kwh, even getting it down to zero wouldn't drop my bill by enough to be worth it. The only way it would actually make sense to go solar around here would be to also go off grid, which adds a lot of expense and kills any incentive.
As for this $4 fee... last I heard, our electric company had a program where you could buy solar sells from them and net-meter, their admin fee (on top of everything else) was over $30/month... so I don't see why people complain about $4!
What part of capitalism involves a government granted monopoly on an idea?
Copyright is not capitalism. It is direct interference by the government preventing a capitalist solution.
I'm not saying that capitalism/socialism/communism/anarchy or any other system is ideal. Only that we can't even start to look at the merits of any system as long as people can't seem to identify the basic characteristics of each. People seem to think that what we have now is capitalism. And while it does have certain traits related to that system, it is not purely capitalist, and in fact copyright is a big example of a part that is not.
That's simple, we've seen it many times.
10% discount for automated cars... and everyone's insurance is going up 15% this year... The end result is everyone's rates will be at least what they are now, or higher, but you'll be penalized extra if you don't go with the automated car. And as a bonus, they get positive publicity for the discount they gave owners of automated cars, while the rate increase for everyone (including those drivers) gets glossed over.
Or maybe you should just do what the rest of the world does and tie your borrowing to your spending? Where I live, if the government passes a bill saying they are spending 2 billion dollars on X, that automatically gives them permission to borrow whatever amount makes it happen. The two things are not separate acts. Additionally, if a government can't pass a budget, the government dissolves and an election is called. This stalemate holding the world hostage simply can not happen in most countries.
The US needs to get their dysfunctional system in order.
You're right that seizing an aircraft carrier would never work, best case nothing would happen and the aircraft carrier would sail home after a big scandal, worst case there would be all out war. They could easily however evict a military base (and there are PLENTY of those around the world that aren't on US soil). give them a month or two notice and tell them to get out. Most likely outcome would be that the nation in question would get a military base, minus the actual military hardware, and the US would be unlikely to be willing to go to war over it.
Actually I routinely plug my phone in on my bedside table in the dark. And I still have never had any trouble doing so. It's simply not a problem. You try one orientation, if it doesn't go in you flip it over and plug it in. At maximum it might take an extra 2-3 seconds, and even then only half the time.
Meanwhile by using the micro usb standard I get the advantage that one charger works for every device I own, and all but one of my friends' devices use the same cable (one hold out with an iPhone) Additionally the cables are dirt cheap (usually less than $5) and support full HD video over mhl. The lightning connector has one very minor advantage (multi orientation) but adds a multitude of disadvantages (lack of standards compliance, price and availability of replacements, low quality video)
Considering I have mixed and matched both the cord and the charger many times, I see no evidence of that.