DirecTV and Tivo – did I make a mistake?

January 7, 2005 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Television, Weblogs 

Two months ago, I plopped down $1000 for a DirecTV HD Tivo box.  It’s a box that allows me to record 2 programs while watching a recorded program (or watch one and record one) from DirecTV or OTA (Over the Air – broadcast locals) digital source.

Yesterday, DirecTV made several announcements at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.  What they amount to is this:

  1. DirecTV is releasing their own DVR (digital video recorder), based on NDS technology and uCentric technology.  This is expected to be similar to what SkyTV has released in Europe – Fox owns SkyTV and DirecTV.  There are not likely going to be any new Tivo boxes from DirecTV.
  2. DirecTV is going to use new satellites and new technology for their HD local channels and a supposed 150 HD channels.  They will be available starting in 6 months after the new satellites launch.  However, these satellites will be using MPEG-4 encoding and a new modulation technique.  That means that ALL existing DirecTV receivers will be unable to view those channels.  DirecTV promises to “convert” all existing HD customers – whatever that means.
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So, the question is – what does that mean to me?  Do I now own a $1000 brick?

Misha tries to answer the question in this blog entry.

Personally, I think I blew it with my purchase.

Help, or Get Out of The Way

January 7, 2005 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Can't Make This Up, Current Affairs, Life 

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Unprofessional – maybe.  Absolutely the right thing to say – definately.

My Wife and Airport Security

January 6, 2005 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Current Affairs 

My wife is flying to Houston today.  For various reasons (mainly including her boss), she didn’t buy the ticket until two days ago.

Because of that (and presumably her last name of Smith), she got a little extra treatment from the TSA.  She was unable to get a boarding pass from the ATM-like machines – she had to go to an agent at a desk and present her ID.  They also searched the heck out of her laptop bag, thinking that they saw a pocketknife.  It apparently was part of a computer cable.

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At one point, the TSA was talking about implementing a “trusted traveller” program.  I think they should – it would avoid silly searches of legitimate people.

Wacky Warning Label Winners

January 6, 2005 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Can't Make This Up, Life 

The winners are out in the annual Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch Wacky Warning Label contest.

This year’s first prize goes to a toilet brush, with a warning label reading:  “Do Not Use for personal hygiene”.

Second prize was won by children’s scooter that reads “This product moves when used”.
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Third prize (this should have done better than 3rd) was a digital thermometer that reads (are you ready?):  “Once used rectally, the thermometer should not be used orally”.

Click the link above for the 4th and 5th prizes.

Dead Pool 2005 – my picks

January 1, 2005 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Dead Pool 

My picks for the Dead Pool 2005 are (in no particular order):

  • Saddam Hussein
  • Dick Clark
  • Mahmud Zahar – Hamas leader
  • George H. W. Bush (the former President, not the current one)
  • Osama Bin Laden
  • Dick Cheney (the current VP)
  • Robert Guillaume – the actor from “Benson” and “Sports Night”
  • Liza Minelli
  • Robert Byrd (US Senator)
  • William Rehnquist (currently Chief Justics of the Supreme Court)
  • Queen Elizabeth (of the UK)
  • King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud (current King of Saudi Arabia)
  • James Doohan (Scotty from Star Trek)
  • Gerald Ford (the former US President)
  • Whitney Houston

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I didn’t pick these people because I wanted them to die (well, except perhaps Osama Bin Laden) – I picked them because they are likely to die.

Dead Pool 2005

December 30, 2004 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Current Affairs, Dead Pool, Life, Television, Weblogs 

Laurence Simon is running the Dead Pool again for 2005.  In order to participate, you have to have a blog (or be willing to make a small contribution) and select 15 identifiable people (not your neighbor – someone whose death will show up in the news) who you think/hope will die in 2005.  The year boundary is marked by the ball in Times Square.

It’s a little late to announce this, but if you can get your list together in the next 34 hours, you can enter by following the instructions at:  Dead Pool
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I have made my picks, and will be announcing them in a delayed post to be shown on January 1.

Blockbuster Eliminating Late Fees

December 14, 2004 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Television 

Blockbuster has announced that they are eliminating late fees as of January 1, 2005.  (AP)

Basically, you are supposed to return the movie in 2 days (new releases) or one week.  However, they will now give you an additional week to return it without fees.  If you keep it beyond then, you’ve bought it – although they will allow you to return it within 30 days after paying a “restocking fee”.

This is being done to combat Netflix’s business model.  With Netflix, you pay $18/month and are allowed to have up to 3 movies in your hands at any given time.  Return a movie and get the next one.  All via free First Class Mail.

Personally, I think the Blockbuster idea will fail.  They’ve essentially changed the rules from 2 days or a week to 9 days or 2 weeks.  That means that they’ll have to carry more copies of new releases, at a greater cost to dispose of them later.
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I have one other issue with Blockbuster – widescreen.  I have a widescreen TV.  About 1/2 of the DVD’s being released come in separate versions for standard vs. widescreen.  My local Blockbuster orders primarily standard versions, with a few widescreen copies that are rarely in the store.  Given the choice between standard and nothing, I generally choose nothing (or perhaps another movie).

And then there’s our experience from a few weeks’ back.  We went in on a Saturday to rent.  When we reached the counter, we were informed that the computers were down and we couldn’t pay.  We would be able to pay when we returned the movie.  OK – we went home, watched the movie, and my wife went back Sunday morning.  The computers still were down, so we could return the movie but would have to make a special trip to pay later.  She had to come back later in the week and pay – an extra trip for no reason.  If they had decent customer service, they would have given us the rental for free when they were unable to charge us at return time.

Now that I have a high definition Tivo hooked up – I’ll be recording new movies in HD from HBO or Showtime and watching them in better quality than the Blockbuster DVD’s anyway.  For no extra charge.

Lose Weight Fast – Tumor Removal

December 13, 2004 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Can't Make This Up, Life, Science 

In Cincinnati, a woman has lost over 80 pounds – 66 of them from a single tumor.  (local news article)

As strange as it sounds, I believe it.  My wife had a large cantaloupe-sized ovarian tumor removed Dosage should be restricted to that which is prescribed by the doctors and it continues to occupy highest priority space in generic viagra pills the lives of male customers. This is mainly attributed price tadalafil tablets to the lower dosage. Moreover, a physical therapist also provides the possible care for people through a variety of settings in the various hospitals, clinics, private practices of medical health buy viagra online in care, outpatient, home health agencies even in school, sporting competitions and fitness facilities. Massage assists cialis 5mg generika in building healthy and productive lifestyle naturally. when she was in her mid-20’s.  The gynecologist initially thought that she was pregnant (alarming enough), then the ultrasound revealed this.  She had it harder – back then the recovery was several months on the couch.

FLYi Bomb Threat

November 19, 2004 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Current Affairs 

I was going through my traffic statistics, and I found someone searching on bombs at airports with today’s date.

I did some digging and found this:  FLYi bomb threat
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It seems to be nothing, but it’s worth looking into.  Luckily, my wife flew home from her business trip yesterday.

Death Penalty for Overdue Library Books

November 19, 2004 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Books, Can't Make This Up, Current Affairs 

It used to be a cliche – sentencing someone to death for an overdue library book.

Now, Bay City, Michigan is moving in that direction.  (CNN Story)

The Bay County library system director is asking the Library Board for permission to seek arrest warrants for patrons keeping books past due and ignoring repeated notices.  He also wants to levy criminal fines and jail time up to 90 days.
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According to the article, a particularly heinous offender has $1,200 worth of books out (not the fine, the value of the books), most for over a year (and mostly sci-fi – could easily be me).  One has to wonder how much it will cost the county to prosecute him and keep him in jail.  Library fines currently run 5 to 10 cents per day.

This guy is nuts.  I can see wanting to make a point, but there’s gotta be a better way than arresting patrons.  Maybe embarass them in the newspaper?

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