My status of late

Hi there. I'm writing in response to a recent posting asking "wuzzup" with me. Well, "whuzzup" here is that my ISP is putting the screws to me. Covad seems to think that the best way to inculcate customer loyalty is to raise rates by 380%. Neat, eh? As a result, I will likely lose my DSL service tomorrow when I refuse to migrate and pay these robber-barons their ridiculous rate. I have a new account on the way, and I hope it's available soon. In the meantime, thanks for all the thoughts, folks. I will return here when I can. In the meantime, I've changed my old web site at http://home.zyan.com/~wc with links to the new email and web site if ever the new account comes through. I'll hope to see y'all soon.

Phileosophos said:

offline

Wow, so much more time for WadAuthoring! Is this great or what?!

Phileosophos said:

Covad seems to think that the best way to inculcate customer loyalty is to raise rates by 380%.

Bandits! Thieves! They remind me of the f*cking gas companies ("petrol companies", for our friends across the Atlantic & Pacific) that are getting fatter, richer, and happier by implementing brazen and unchecked price hikes. "Low refinery capacity" my a**. These wolves know that sheeps like me (yes, I admit I'm a sheep) need their precious product, so they go about their dirty business with impunity. I heard rumors that gas prices in Chicago could reach $3.00 a gallon.

Meanwhile, of course, the f*cking (there's that word again; it must mean I'm starting to get a little pissed) electric utilities are putting the screws on California and are setting their sights on New York. (And the companies aren't even California companies -- they're in Texas, Colorado, etc.) B*stards!!

I'm all for market forces, and letting supply & demand do their thing, but these instances smack of anti-trust goings on.

(I'll get off my soap box now.)

Lüt said:

Wow, so much more time for WadAuthoring! Is this great or what?!

Phileo, hang in there, we all know you'll recover from this low blow by your ISP. Let us know real quick how you're making out.
Your an OK guy.
fragg

ReX said:

Bandits! Thieves! They remind me of the f*cking gas companies ("petrol companies", for our friends across the Atlantic & Pacific) that are getting fatter, richer, and happier by implementing brazen and unchecked price hikes. "Low refinery capacity" my a**. These wolves know that sheeps like me (yes, I admit I'm a sheep) need their precious product, so they go about their dirty business with impunity. I heard rumors that gas prices in Chicago could reach $3.00 a gallon.

Meanwhile, of course, the f*cking (there's that word again; it must mean I'm starting to get a little pissed) electric utilities are putting the screws on California and are setting their sights on New York. (And the companies aren't even California companies -- they're in Texas, Colorado, etc.) B*stards!!

I'm all for market forces, and letting supply & demand do their thing, but these instances smack of anti-trust goings on.

(I'll get off my soap box now.)

Rex I feel your pain too.

I'm furious at the whacko Environmentalists in California.
The state's population doubled these past 10 years. During that time, the state wanted to build new power plants. These whacko Greenies sued/blocked the state at every turn during those 10 years.
Now California is up a creek.
And its Economy is so big, huge, influential (bigger than some European nations)-- its woes are beginning to effect the rest of the country.
AND the Arab oil-cartel monopoly has chosen, right at this time, to help us out by enormously cranking-up oil prices (even higher, faster, than they been cranking them during this past year).

BTW, I heard on radio couple weeks ago, that the whacko Greenies have decided to pitch in and help California in this serious time of power-shortage. How?
Well there are a huge number of small n'mid-size windmills in I believe, northern California. (The Greenies have been advocating windmills for years and years, as pollution-free power sources).
Anyway, these windmills generate a fair-size amount of electricity. Not a great amount, but enough so it helps out.
The Greenies have recently got the authorities to start shutting them down. Why?
Birds have recently been seen flying into them and getting fragged by the blades.
(hmmm, screw us Humans and our needs, birds come first).

That was the radio news story. It gave facts, places, dates.

I never heard a word of that News reported on national TV or big Newspapers like NY Times, Boston Globe, St.Louis Post-Dispatch, Los Angeles Times, etc.
The Greenies are held in high esteem, thus have great prestige, influence, with the national Press.
So, my best guess is, the Story was bypassed because it would have made them look real bad.

Sounds like the way it's done around here (Sweden, Europe) too...

As to the windmill thing; another issue that's starting to trouble these "greenie" type of people (yeah, we have those around here too) is that the windmills are big, uggly and make noises... They realize that when it's time to actually use that technology! *heh*

Another story (worldwide, I think) is that about diesel engines. Some research indicated that diesel was better than petrol from an environmental POV, and so, politicians did the usual thing; used this to get extra votes, by suggesting ways of supporting this "better" alternative in various ways. Then it turns out that the research wasn't done thoroughly enough, and that diesel is actually a lot *worse* than petrol! Guess who gets to pay the bill...

Yet another story, this one to demonstrate that politics has very, very little power when it really matters (which may to some extent explain why we're seeing this kind of silly mistakes being done all the time): Some time ago, a new kind of wheel assembly was invented. AFAIK, the tire is integrated with the rim (it should still be possible to replace the rubber when it's worn down) in the form of little rubber blocks on some kind of springs. Better grip, lower friction, more stable than normal tires (which means better handling), less rubber, less wear on tires and roads, no flat tires etc.

Guess what? Some big company (can't remember which one) bought the patent to make sure no one would manufacture those wheels any time soon. So we'll just have to keep using the old crap for some 50 years to come, I guess... So much for really tryng to improve things. *heh*

The wheel story reminds me of the fabled carburetor that got 100mpg but was never released for a very similar reason.

Waddaya think?

It happens all the time... That's why we're still burning diesel and petrol, while there have been good alternatives for a good while. Various kinds of alcohols (works just fine for IndyCar) and propane (IIRC) for example. We did have lots of cabs running on the latter here for a while - until some smartass got the idea to put heavy takes on it, making it more expensive than petrol or diesel... Killed it instantly. Nice move.

However, busses are running on various alternative fuels around here now. Either we're finally moving in the right direction, or it's just that it's still too small scale to annoy anyone enough to kill it off.

Oh, and then there were the windmill hobbyists that were forced to pay taxes so high that it turned out more expensive than just bying electricity the normal way. And then they got to do all the maintenance themselves, on top of that... Very encouraging, indeed. *heh*

And speaking of carburetors; many years ago, when my father worked at Chalmer's University in Gothenburg, some guys had a modified car engine (Volvo, IIRC) running on pulverised wood! :-)

ReX said:

Bandits! Thieves! They remind me of the f*cking gas companies ("petrol companies", for our friends across the Atlantic & Pacific) that are getting fatter, richer, and happier by implementing brazen and unchecked price hikes. "Low refinery capacity" my a**. These wolves know that sheeps like me (yes, I admit I'm a sheep) need their precious product, so they go about their dirty business with impunity. I heard rumors that gas prices in Chicago could reach $3.00 a gallon.

Meanwhile, of course, the f*cking (there's that word again; it must mean I'm starting to get a little pissed) electric utilities are putting the screws on California and are setting their sights on New York. (And the companies aren't even California companies -- they're in Texas, Colorado, etc.) B*stards!!

I'm all for market forces, and letting supply & demand do their thing, but these instances smack of anti-trust goings on.

(I'll get off my soap box now.)

I think we can expect things to go from bad to worse here in the states. From what I have been reading and seeing, across the board rate increases are in the wings. The reason is simple: the government has deregulated and has allowed companies to consolidate killing any chance at real market competition. 4 telecom companies (SWB, Qwest, ATT, Bellsouth) own 90 of the comm market in the US. This means that DSL and broadband will sky rocket. My cable bill (ATT) has jumped from 25.00 to 41.00 dollars in the past year.

The same thing has happened in the energy sector. The reason the gas companies are giving for the so-called shortage is the fact that there aren't enough refineries. However, a year ago we had record low gas prices. What changed in a year? The companies closed refineries to jack up the price. The soution is simple. Reopen the closed refineries. Do you think that will happen?

The truth is that the current US government is being run and controlled by corporations. Just look at who contributed money to George W. and what he has done so far in office:

Credit card companines: made it harder to file backruptcy (and refused to make it harder for credit card companies to solicit business from college students and young people. Did you know that credit card companies can solicit business from 18 years olds regardless if they have income or not? This is legalized indentureship.)

Insurance companies and HMOs: harder to sue HMO for serviced denied and withheld. Also expect insurance rates to increase.

Energy companies: Bush is pushing nationwide deregulation even in light of the problem in California. The effect here will be the same as deregulation of phone service. Smaller energy companies will go out of business or be absorbed into larger ones leaving no competion and rates will skyrocket. Expect to see use fees like you see on your phone bills.

Banking: Bush will veto legislation limiting fees that banks can apply. The banking industry made around 10 billion US just in fees last year. Expect to see an increase of fee rates and use fees for things like ATM even when used at your local bank (this is already being done in most places). The average fee right now is about 1.25 per transaction. It is expected to go to 2.00 by the end of the year.

Microsoft: It appears now that MS will beat the anti-trust suit, even though it has been established through court documents that MS has practiced unfair trade. This will have a huge impact in the US for IT. This means that since MS produces both OS and product, they can limit (or destroy, re: DR DOS) the functionality of third-party products while enhancing their own. When MS owns the desktop here in the US watch the prices go through the roof. The only hope here is that Linuix will come to the forefront.

The result of all this will be a deep recession here in the US. Expect prices to rise, companies to lay off and wages to slide because of an increasing employment pool. That is why I have down-sized my life so I can afford to live off of 20,000 or less per year because I know it is coming.

I could care less about Microsoft. I've got my Windows95 CD and that's all I need from them. All any home user needs, really. Why waste so much more on the new OS's when all they're gonna make you do is waste hundreds and maybe thousands more on the hardware to run them? I'd rather get a new car than a new computer just to support a new Microsoft OS so that I can use the same old stuff that runs just fine in Windows95. The idiots and businesses will be buying all the "latest and greatest" crap that Microsoft has to shove down their throats with the promises of being "easier" and "more resourceful", etc. Tough for them.

Lut..."Amen" to that.

Even worse -- on Oct 25 Microsoft's new OS "WindowsXP" will be here with its new intrusion into our Privacy. What intrusion?

WinXP will REQUIRE that you let Microsoft Headquarters into your PC so they can record your machine's ID# and Register it.
You'll register 2 ways: via the Web or a Phone call (if line's busy, no problem, just wait and wait till its not busy. It's prolly toll-free now, but no guarantee it won't later become toll).

If you refuse to register then WinXP will go stone dead.
That's right, your PC becomes a boat-anchor.
Until you surrender, let them in to identify your machine ID# and register the product.
When you buy WinXP they give you 30-days use before you MUST register.

Microsoft's official line is (in response to tons of angry complaints from people who've just heard about this new Gestapo tactic)..."You have our word that while we're in your PC, recording your machines ID#--we will NOT snoop around, examining files and personal data".
Sure they won't. We have Bill's word.
So relax Lut, and in October rush out and plunk down your money.

BTW, word is out (true or not, I dunno) that MS will deliberately, gradually, choke-off support/upgrades for all OS's except WinXP.
Yes, Big Brother intends that we shall Register.
Willing or not we SHALL Register.
Big Brother will be watching.

Well, first off, when it comes to registering WinXP the way they say, I have faith in them for a few reasons, but not because they're trustworthy. The first one is that it does seem like a legitimate way to stop the piracy of the new Windows. If WindowsXP was my "invention", I would like a feature like that which would prevent people from stealing it. It really should have been done a long time ago. Regardless of how much money Microsoft actually needs it still doesn't make stealing any of their programs any more right than stealing programs from some guy who needs the money to stay alive. The second reason is because of all the controversy surrounding this issue, you can bet thousands of people will be "testing" exactly what is going out of the line when WinXP calls Microsoft to register. It would be stupid for them to lie about this one, as they would surely get caught. I'd be more cautious about registering their smaller products like games or small $30 programs which would most likely be the programs doing the dirty work.

Of course, I didn't even know my machine had an ID number, so I don't know where they plan to pull that from - motherboard serial number maybe?

Microsoft may cut off support for their older Windows versions (they really are too much a hassle) but look at it this way: how many times did you really need support or upgrades for Win95? I never did. Now, there's a lot of different versions of Win95, some suck and some don't. OSR2 doesn't. I wouldn't even use Windows Updates for Win95 - I still like my "if it ain't broke, don't fit it" analogy when it comes to computers. Upgrades are simply too much hassle.

You also have to look at it in terms of what you really need the computer to do. What do you have to do nowadays that will require WinXP that you couldn't do back in '95 with Win95? 99% of the time: nothing. I can do Doom, Quake3, Word Documents, Websites, Spreadsheets, Printing, Email, every type of productivity activity I'd ever need to do with Win95. I can run my games, office programs, music editors, cd burners, everything I have with Win95 better than with Win98 or WinME. Win95 leaves so many more resources available than Win98, WinME, Win2K, etc. that there's no way I could use one of those other operating systems instead. If you have two hard drives of the exact same content (one with Win95 and one with Win98) in the exact same machine, you can tell the difference. This also allows me to buy cheaper and older hardware while still getting the performance of the newer hardware which operates under the newer operating systems. And you think I'm lending ALL 32MB of the Video RAM on my TNT2 card to Windows?? You'd have to be nuts. In fact, they even recommend 64MB of Video RAM for XP. Uh, yeah...

Nope, I'll be on Win95 until the day I stop using computers.