I used to subscribe to cable just to get their HDTV stuff. I was paying over $100 for tv and internet. Now I use an HD antenna and tuner and am pretty happy with that setup. Luckily I live in a pretty large metro area with all the local channels in HD. Netflix fills the rest of the void pretty well. I would much rather pay $15/month for 768mbps internet and $15/month for Netflix than over $100 for internet and cable! Hopefully you'll get some form of broadcast HD soon.
"In a move to stave off the FCC, cable operators have now agreed upon one standard to allow TVs and other gear that will work regardless of cable provider.
Why do people subscribe to cable TV? If you are so offended by their closed standards, the solution seems pretty simple to me. All it shows is that the FCC is a completely bogus organization that ultimately hurts consumers. Cable companies shouldn't be forced by the regulators to adopt a common standard any more than consumers should be forced to subscribe.
Personally, I canceled my cable TV service the last time I moved and couldn't be happier. I would rather spend money on internet access and netflix. If I really really want to watch a show, I might download it... but honestly I still haven't even watched the shows I downloaded last year.
I have a three year old CRT HDTV, one of the first cheap ones from Samsung. I think you can see the most difference in things like Discovery HD, PBS, and other nature or travel type stuff. I am still astounded with the detail every time I see a scenery shot. And when you're watching football, the crowd shots definitely look amazing.
Movies aren't as much of a big deal to me in HD vs. DVD. So for me it really depends on what you watch. Also, I had the HD package from a few diferent cable companies over the last 3 years, and finally decided the cost just isn't worth it. So now I have an over the air HD antenna and receiver, and couldn't be happier not paying money to watch TV.
And like everyone else, I am waiting until prices drop to reasonable levels to even thinking about getting something like Blu-Ray.
Yes, but a picture is worth a thousand words... so, therefore a 30 second video clip on the news (at 30 fps) equals 900 words. I'd be pretty impressed if you could read words at that rate.
That's exactly my problem with it... you have to carry it in a bag/briefcase. As it says in TFA:
Perhaps it may not suit you as your primary workhorse but there's no denying that the Eee is king of mobility.
I honestly think that title belongs to the Nokia N810 tablet. After all, you get a screen with the same resolution with a built-in keyboard in a form factor that fits in your pocket. I don't work for Nokia... just a fan of that particular product. Sure, the N810 might have about half the processing power (clocked at 400 mhz compared to the EEE PC's 900 MHz), but if we're just talking about mobility, isn't the EEE is about as mobile as a typical subcompact notebook? Which I admit is pretty mobile... but in the end it still requires a carrying case.
As evil as they are, the RIAA is probably not going to start searching millions of computers looking for ripped mp3s. That would either involve planting snooping software through a virus or hack (for which they have already received a good amount of flak) or getting law enforcement to do the job. I'm sure searching people's computers for music tracks would have about as much priority of manpower on the local level as busting people for littering or jaywalking.
This pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. I figure I am pretty safe in purchasing used CDs, ripping them, and selling them again - thus obtaining drm free music at a reasonably low cost. First of all, I'm not convinced with arguments that this is theft. Second of all, they're not gonna catch me any time soon.
I had an n800 for awhile, but was forced to return it after getting very spotty wifi connections with it. Seemed like half the time I would get this "link local" problem that is mentioned here:
http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8689
I always got this at work. I really wanted to be able to use it as a portable skype phone, as I have skype out and in. But the connection issues really got me... I don't have an n810 yet, but I'm hoping it doesn't have this problem.
Sure... wrt modern day Iraq, an aggressor state conqured another state, sparking a civil war and causing even more death and violence than there was during the preceding authoritarian regime. In Somalia, another state (the transitional federal government) along with its Ethiopian supporters is violently battling clans to gain control of state machinery there. Is that too concise?
I suppose I'd call it a representative democracy empowered by the consent of the governed, but that's just me.
I definitely wouldn't call it that...
Unless you define "do[ing] just fine" as leaving rural America out in the cold...
Perhaps I do define it as that. How is it just to force urban dwellers to finance mail delivery for rural locations? If mail was a deal breaker for rural areas, wouldn't people choose to move to a city? Also, you don't think American Express, Western Union, and UPS could handle first class mail delivery efficiently?
Again, I stress that we know what happens without a regulatory apparatus--why do you think returning to that state would be any different than it was a century ago?
Because, I don't think it's a given that FDA is worth the effort and cost. After all, if producers shipped faulty products and hurt people with them, couldn't they still be prosecuted? Why should it take yet another federal organization to deal with that?
I'll break it down a little further. You claim that any sort of government whatsoever is "facism", apparently blaming any and all problems on government. This implies that if we got rid of government, these problems would go away. Where did I misstep?
I wouldn't claim that life would be all hunky dory without government. But I do claim that it creates more problems than it solves.
Yes, I have considered those things you mention, and have mostly rejected them based on my reading and understanding of history. Where did I say that carries magical powers? Please explain.
All the things you mention are simply a softer brand of facism than what they had over in europe. What else can you call a central authority that forces urban populations to support rural ones and monopolizes first class mail (when any number of private alternatives would do just fine). And don't get me started on the terrible, unnecessary FDA. And the GI Bill? There shouldn't even be a standing army, let alone a need for that. I would hardly say the case for a standing army was "won a long time ago."
And I haven't hand-waved any sort of "paradise" into existence. Now you're just creating straw-men.
From the standpoint of limited government, that is a good thing. The ability for the confederacy to enforce whatever laws they enact is what grew into the leviathan we have today.
What's really sad is that people still call for government intervention in society, flying in the face of the vast destruction caused by authoritarian government in the 20th century. This love affair with social contract/socialism/facism has got to end eventually, the only question is how many people will be killed by their own governments first. The path to hell is paved by good intentions - in this case, the good intentions of civic minded individuals. And if you think all the human life is worth it, you are indeed the sociopath. Good day sir.
That is why I think the constitution, from the standpoint of limiting government power, is quite a bit overrated. I honestly believe we would have been better under a loose confederation. And it could have worked, were it not for the Hamiltonians urging more federal authority.
You're right, it doesn't matter whether I believe it. But whether it was prudent for the framers to establish a government based on faulty theory does matter, and unjustly affects everyone under it even to this day.
And why, exactly, should I believe in social contract theory? Second, what happens when the government is making it possible for the "sociopathic greedheads" to do this? (as in the easy money policies of the federal reserve making this profitable for big lending houses)
I wonder what the profit margins for the fluorescents are? I bet they're higher. Congress rarely does anything unless money changed hands somewhere.
Gotta make you wonder who's been contributing to the congressmen who introduced this bill... But hey, who cares? We all know the environment would completely disintegrate if it weren't for government regulation keeping it at bay! Thank goodness we have the state regulating pollution and global warming!
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I used to subscribe to cable just to get their HDTV stuff. I was paying over $100 for tv and internet. Now I use an HD antenna and tuner and am pretty happy with that setup. Luckily I live in a pretty large metro area with all the local channels in HD. Netflix fills the rest of the void pretty well. I would much rather pay $15/month for 768mbps internet and $15/month for Netflix than over $100 for internet and cable! Hopefully you'll get some form of broadcast HD soon.
Why do people subscribe to cable TV? If you are so offended by their closed standards, the solution seems pretty simple to me. All it shows is that the FCC is a completely bogus organization that ultimately hurts consumers. Cable companies shouldn't be forced by the regulators to adopt a common standard any more than consumers should be forced to subscribe.
Personally, I canceled my cable TV service the last time I moved and couldn't be happier. I would rather spend money on internet access and netflix. If I really really want to watch a show, I might download it... but honestly I still haven't even watched the shows I downloaded last year.
I have a three year old CRT HDTV, one of the first cheap ones from Samsung. I think you can see the most difference in things like Discovery HD, PBS, and other nature or travel type stuff. I am still astounded with the detail every time I see a scenery shot. And when you're watching football, the crowd shots definitely look amazing.
Movies aren't as much of a big deal to me in HD vs. DVD. So for me it really depends on what you watch. Also, I had the HD package from a few diferent cable companies over the last 3 years, and finally decided the cost just isn't worth it. So now I have an over the air HD antenna and receiver, and couldn't be happier not paying money to watch TV.
And like everyone else, I am waiting until prices drop to reasonable levels to even thinking about getting something like Blu-Ray.
I don't see legal cocaine as causing any more of a health crisis than alcoholism.
Damn, guess that's what I get after posting from too much insomnia this past week...
Actually, I meant to say it'd be worth 3000 words. Duh. ;)
Yes, but a picture is worth a thousand words... so, therefore a 30 second video clip on the news (at 30 fps) equals 900 words. I'd be pretty impressed if you could read words at that rate.
I had an n800 for awhile, but was forced to return it after getting very spotty wifi connections with it. Seemed like half the time I would get this "link local" problem that is mentioned here:
http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8689
I always got this at work. I really wanted to be able to use it as a portable skype phone, as I have skype out and in. But the connection issues really got me... I don't have an n810 yet, but I'm hoping it doesn't have this problem.
Sure... wrt modern day Iraq, an aggressor state conqured another state, sparking a civil war and causing even more death and violence than there was during the preceding authoritarian regime. In Somalia, another state (the transitional federal government) along with its Ethiopian supporters is violently battling clans to gain control of state machinery there. Is that too concise?
Yes, I have considered those things you mention, and have mostly rejected them based on my reading and understanding of history. Where did I say that carries magical powers? Please explain.
So as to stay out of society and not F it up...
All the things you mention are simply a softer brand of facism than what they had over in europe. What else can you call a central authority that forces urban populations to support rural ones and monopolizes first class mail (when any number of private alternatives would do just fine). And don't get me started on the terrible, unnecessary FDA. And the GI Bill? There shouldn't even be a standing army, let alone a need for that. I would hardly say the case for a standing army was "won a long time ago."
And I haven't hand-waved any sort of "paradise" into existence. Now you're just creating straw-men.
From the standpoint of limited government, that is a good thing. The ability for the confederacy to enforce whatever laws they enact is what grew into the leviathan we have today.
What's really sad is that people still call for government intervention in society, flying in the face of the vast destruction caused by authoritarian government in the 20th century. This love affair with social contract/socialism/facism has got to end eventually, the only question is how many people will be killed by their own governments first. The path to hell is paved by good intentions - in this case, the good intentions of civic minded individuals. And if you think all the human life is worth it, you are indeed the sociopath. Good day sir.
That is why I think the constitution, from the standpoint of limiting government power, is quite a bit overrated. I honestly believe we would have been better under a loose confederation. And it could have worked, were it not for the Hamiltonians urging more federal authority.
You're right, it doesn't matter whether I believe it. But whether it was prudent for the framers to establish a government based on faulty theory does matter, and unjustly affects everyone under it even to this day.
And why, exactly, should I believe in social contract theory? Second, what happens when the government is making it possible for the "sociopathic greedheads" to do this? (as in the easy money policies of the federal reserve making this profitable for big lending houses)
If the income tax was also abolished, there wouldn't be a need for administration and inforcement.
You still get spam in your inbox? Guess I've been spoiled by gmail's great filtering...
Thanks for the kudos... I just wish more people would realize what a failure it is to legislate morality.