Indeed. I'd like to know just what the problem with banks is - do they make a habit of running off with people's money is the US?
Personally I can't remember the last time I touched a bank note - I do everything on credit or debit cards (or online, natch). I have a small pot of change for carparks etc. but that's about it.
Are you aware that the only reason that the digital signal is currently crap is because the channels are squeezed into too small a part of the spectrum
Yes.
You'll get a lot less blockiness and signal drop-outs.
I've not seen that mentioned anywhere in the literature so that's good news. I hope it's better than Sky as most of their channels have terrible picture once you get off the main ones like Sky One etc.
Thanks for the update. My old router only had a 10mb/s WAN connection and used to choke when Blueyonder moved above 6Mb/sec so I changed to a cheap Netgear one with a 100Mbit WAN port - much better and only about £40. There's a review at http://www.practicalpc.co.uk/reviews/hard/networki ng/netgearfvs114.htm assuming they still make it.
I saw a news piece about Japanese teens who are addicted to DoCoMo services and texting and they had a few 15yo's who were racking up $450 a month. No idea who was paying their bills.
>And I'm sure you've heard something about the outrageous price of gas?
What, that it's about half to a third the price it is elsewhere?
I was listening to diggnation the other day and Alex was boasting his car did 24mpg which was supposed to excellent and up there with some hybrids - huh? My people carrier does 44mpg which embarasses me when some VW Golf's are over 70mpg. 24mpg in the UK would be considered a gas guzzler and the sort of thing you'd expect of a performance car.
This is quite surprising. I always thought the US was awash with options. In the UK we only have one cable company now after the two main ones merged and changed their name. ADSL is all handled by BT but resold via the hundreds of ISPs so you choose who you want based on price/download cap etc. WIth the local loop being slowly unbundled, speeds are rising. Most people have the option of 8Mb ADSL but those who have been unbundled can go to 24Mb I think. Not sure about cable - I think that's 10Mb - it was when I used to be Blueyonder.
As far as TV goes, it's cable via Virgin Media, Sky (spit) if you want digital Sat and Freeview for digital via an aerial. There is of course also analogue TV via aerial but that's about to be switched off - a pity as a good analogue signal beats the current crop of digital ones hands down.
Many operators are now offering bundles with phone/TV/broadband and mobile (cell) all in one package assuming you can find one that suits your usage.
HiDef is still in its infancy with a handful of Sky and Cable channels at premium prices.
I was merely commenting on the relative importance of TV. The way Comcast are handling things does indeed suck, I'm not disputing that. Being in the UK, I'm lucky (?) enough to have the option of free digital TV c/o Freeview.
You're missing the point - it's only TV - you can go without it, your life isn't going to end. I used to watch obscene amounts of TV but between work and having children, I don't think the TV ever gets to see kids channels. I reckon I watch maybe an hour a fortnight if I'm lucky. I haven't died yet.
I've always been a tech head - since I was about 8 or so (and we're talking late 60's/early seventies here) I was obssessed with science & technology and long before I could afford such stuff, I used to flip thru magazines looking at early VCRs, HiFi etc. As soon as I started work I bought an Atari VCS then an Atari 400. I was there day one with laserdisc, big TVs, Dolby Pro Logic, DVD etc.
Now my day is filled up with reading about the latest on digital cameras, PCs, HiDef TV etc. It's like an addiction. Equally, gotta check my email, any text messages on my phone? Quick! Check/. for any new news stories, must keep up to date! My life is one constant rush as I try to pack in all the stuff that interests me along with a job and family.
Then I go away on holiday. No web, no email, no phones, no techy toys, just the family and some good books and I can feel my stress levels just melt away. The simple life is Good! Talking at meal times rather than rushing it so I can check my email, taking things at a gentle pace. Wonderful. I promise myself when I get back, things will be different, I'll make sure I only check my email daily. I'll stop obsessing about various news websites, the latest toys.
Then I get home and the first thing I do is check my email and it's back to normal.
Frankly, if the Internet shut down tomorrow, my life would be so much better. That or I need to grow some self-control but seeing as I've been tech obsessed for 35+ years, I can't see it changing now.
Sort of related.. The trains on my line in the UK are run using some sort of Java based system (we know because they were very buggy to begin with and the website used to give surprisingly honest updates on progress). ANyway, now and then it still goes a bit loopy and we have to sit in the station while the drive warns us over the Tannoy 'I'm just rebooting the train, back in a few minutes' and sure enough, the power drops, lights go out, fans stop then whoosh, it's on again, the displays start scrolling logos and welcome messages and one by one you can hear the subsystems power up. Quite cool, if your sad like me.
It depends how paranoid you like to be. If you take the long term view there is an argument that people in power want to keep that power and if it needs to be done in stages ie. voted out this time, back in next time, so be it. A scared population is a compliant one and if there's no bogyman, it's a good idea to invent one. You'd really need to see the program as it's quite a complex series of steps to get to where we are now.
You hit the nail on the head. As another poster noted, you can't stop this sort of thing. If you have x million guns in circulation and population/y disafffected people, it's going to happen.
What this is instad is the government spotting an opportunity to shove through some more legislation that at any other time would be unpalatable but can be got through on a tide of 'we must do something!' sentiment from Joe Public.
I suggest everyone watches the 3 parter BBC program 'The Power of Nightmares' which while primarily about the West's handling of the rise of Islamic Fundementalism, it does show clearly how the governments around the world manipulate public opinion in an alarming way to get to an endpoint they desire.
Back in the seventies there was an experiment whereby a plant was attached to a lie detector type device to measure various parameters. In another room, a researcher dropped live prawns in to boiling water. Each time a prawn died, the plant's readings showed a blip. They concluded that the plant could somehow detect the pain even though the even occurred in a different room. I read about this is the book Supernature by Lyall Watson if anyone wants to know more.
>*holds breath*
Dude, you're turning a sort of blue colour... Dude?
What would help a lot is if people got a little less (well, a lot less) litigious over every teeny tiny thing that happens and stop being such a bunch of victime. Sometimes stuff happens or people say stuff. Just roll with it.
I'm with you there. I'm far more likely to vote for a politician who sometimes says 'Well, we messed that up' or 'We thought x but now it's clear y was correct'. Equally, companies who tell it like it is tend to get my business. If some firm says 'we found out our product is flawed but here's what we're going to do to fix it' I'll stick with them but if it's 'no, no problem, la la la la' it's all over.
Five years ago I got called in to see the boss and was told someone had posted information about our company on a popular investors forum. I thought what I had posted was quite innocent so fessed up. After much deliberation over the next few weeks, I managed to keep my job, mainly because I was open and honest about events.
However, what I found interesting was that they had for some time used a company in the US who use hoards of bored housewives to Google/MSN/whatever all day for company keywords looking for new stuff that could be investigated by the company. They also did a pretty smart job of cross-referencing and presented me with a thick pile of paper outlining all my internet activities over the previous 6 months, what I'd posted, where, when etc.
"A method of entering replies in to slashdot using a computer keyboard to generate alphanumeric characters which are used to create textural comments to a news item.". If *anyone* else says *anything* from now on, you have to pay me.
I remember reading about a firm who stuck something like 'Call 0800-123-4567 and we'll give you $5000' in their EULA and it took 2 years for anyone to call.
Slashdot Mirror
>In the US, the IRS is required to accept cash.
Luckily the UK is a bit smarter and coin is only valid up to a surprisingly low amount.
Indeed. I'd like to know just what the problem with banks is - do they make a habit of running off with people's money is the US?
Personally I can't remember the last time I touched a bank note - I do everything on credit or debit cards (or online, natch). I have a small pot of change for carparks etc. but that's about it.
>wouldn't it be nice to find out the DNA of your neighbours?
Some of mine are pretty sweet, I'd like to give them some DNA if you know what I mean.
Thanks for the update. My old router only had a 10mb/s WAN connection and used to choke when Blueyonder moved above 6Mb/sec so I changed to a cheap Netgear one with a 100Mbit WAN port - much better and only about £40. There's a review at http://www.practicalpc.co.uk/reviews/hard/networki ng/netgearfvs114.htm assuming they still make it.
I saw a news piece about Japanese teens who are addicted to DoCoMo services and texting and they had a few 15yo's who were racking up $450 a month. No idea who was paying their bills.
>And I'm sure you've heard something about the outrageous price of gas?
What, that it's about half to a third the price it is elsewhere?
I was listening to diggnation the other day and Alex was boasting his car did 24mpg which was supposed to excellent and up there with some hybrids - huh? My people carrier does 44mpg which embarasses me when some VW Golf's are over 70mpg. 24mpg in the UK would be considered a gas guzzler and the sort of thing you'd expect of a performance car.
Oh dear, do get over yourself.
This is quite surprising. I always thought the US was awash with options. In the UK we only have one cable company now after the two main ones merged and changed their name. ADSL is all handled by BT but resold via the hundreds of ISPs so you choose who you want based on price/download cap etc. WIth the local loop being slowly unbundled, speeds are rising. Most people have the option of 8Mb ADSL but those who have been unbundled can go to 24Mb I think. Not sure about cable - I think that's 10Mb - it was when I used to be Blueyonder.
As far as TV goes, it's cable via Virgin Media, Sky (spit) if you want digital Sat and Freeview for digital via an aerial. There is of course also analogue TV via aerial but that's about to be switched off - a pity as a good analogue signal beats the current crop of digital ones hands down.
Many operators are now offering bundles with phone/TV/broadband and mobile (cell) all in one package assuming you can find one that suits your usage.
HiDef is still in its infancy with a handful of Sky and Cable channels at premium prices.
I was merely commenting on the relative importance of TV. The way Comcast are handling things does indeed suck, I'm not disputing that. Being in the UK, I'm lucky (?) enough to have the option of free digital TV c/o Freeview.
That should of course have read "anything BUT kids channels."
You're missing the point - it's only TV - you can go without it, your life isn't going to end. I used to watch obscene amounts of TV but between work and having children, I don't think the TV ever gets to see kids channels. I reckon I watch maybe an hour a fortnight if I'm lucky. I haven't died yet.
I've always been a tech head - since I was about 8 or so (and we're talking late 60's/early seventies here) I was obssessed with science & technology and long before I could afford such stuff, I used to flip thru magazines looking at early VCRs, HiFi etc. As soon as I started work I bought an Atari VCS then an Atari 400. I was there day one with laserdisc, big TVs, Dolby Pro Logic, DVD etc. /. for any new news stories, must keep up to date! My life is one constant rush as I try to pack in all the stuff that interests me along with a job and family.
Now my day is filled up with reading about the latest on digital cameras, PCs, HiDef TV etc. It's like an addiction. Equally, gotta check my email, any text messages on my phone? Quick! Check
Then I go away on holiday. No web, no email, no phones, no techy toys, just the family and some good books and I can feel my stress levels just melt away. The simple life is Good! Talking at meal times rather than rushing it so I can check my email, taking things at a gentle pace. Wonderful. I promise myself when I get back, things will be different, I'll make sure I only check my email daily. I'll stop obsessing about various news websites, the latest toys.
Then I get home and the first thing I do is check my email and it's back to normal.
Frankly, if the Internet shut down tomorrow, my life would be so much better. That or I need to grow some self-control but seeing as I've been tech obsessed for 35+ years, I can't see it changing now.
C2C? We certainly had door 'issues' but I was told it was the computer misreading the power levels.
Sort of related.. The trains on my line in the UK are run using some sort of Java based system (we know because they were very buggy to begin with and the website used to give surprisingly honest updates on progress). ANyway, now and then it still goes a bit loopy and we have to sit in the station while the drive warns us over the Tannoy 'I'm just rebooting the train, back in a few minutes' and sure enough, the power drops, lights go out, fans stop then whoosh, it's on again, the displays start scrolling logos and welcome messages and one by one you can hear the subsystems power up. Quite cool, if your sad like me.
It depends how paranoid you like to be. If you take the long term view there is an argument that people in power want to keep that power and if it needs to be done in stages ie. voted out this time, back in next time, so be it. A scared population is a compliant one and if there's no bogyman, it's a good idea to invent one. You'd really need to see the program as it's quite a complex series of steps to get to where we are now.
You hit the nail on the head. As another poster noted, you can't stop this sort of thing. If you have x million guns in circulation and population/y disafffected people, it's going to happen.
What this is instad is the government spotting an opportunity to shove through some more legislation that at any other time would be unpalatable but can be got through on a tide of 'we must do something!' sentiment from Joe Public.
I suggest everyone watches the 3 parter BBC program 'The Power of Nightmares' which while primarily about the West's handling of the rise of Islamic Fundementalism, it does show clearly how the governments around the world manipulate public opinion in an alarming way to get to an endpoint they desire.
Back in the seventies there was an experiment whereby a plant was attached to a lie detector type device to measure various parameters. In another room, a researcher dropped live prawns in to boiling water. Each time a prawn died, the plant's readings showed a blip. They concluded that the plant could somehow detect the pain even though the even occurred in a different room. I read about this is the book Supernature by Lyall Watson if anyone wants to know more.
>*holds breath*
Dude, you're turning a sort of blue colour... Dude?
What would help a lot is if people got a little less (well, a lot less) litigious over every teeny tiny thing that happens and stop being such a bunch of victime. Sometimes stuff happens or people say stuff. Just roll with it.
I'm with you there. I'm far more likely to vote for a politician who sometimes says 'Well, we messed that up' or 'We thought x but now it's clear y was correct'. Equally, companies who tell it like it is tend to get my business. If some firm says 'we found out our product is flawed but here's what we're going to do to fix it' I'll stick with them but if it's 'no, no problem, la la la la' it's all over.
There's a celebrity called Anonymous Coward? Never heard of them.
Five years ago I got called in to see the boss and was told someone had posted information about our company on a popular investors forum. I thought what I had posted was quite innocent so fessed up. After much deliberation over the next few weeks, I managed to keep my job, mainly because I was open and honest about events.
However, what I found interesting was that they had for some time used a company in the US who use hoards of bored housewives to Google/MSN/whatever all day for company keywords looking for new stuff that could be investigated by the company. They also did a pretty smart job of cross-referencing and presented me with a thick pile of paper outlining all my internet activities over the previous 6 months, what I'd posted, where, when etc.
Dammit, a gaping hole in my patent. I'm suing that pesky lawyer for incompetance, shifty eyes and drinking too much of my coffee.
"A method of entering replies in to slashdot using a computer keyboard to generate alphanumeric characters which are used to create textural comments to a news item.". If *anyone* else says *anything* from now on, you have to pay me.
I remember reading about a firm who stuck something like 'Call 0800-123-4567 and we'll give you $5000' in their EULA and it took 2 years for anyone to call.