War on Flatulence.

What we should do now is to use "terrorism" for even the most trivial infraction: "parking terrorism", "litter terrorism", "noise terrorism" - you get the idea. In no time at all, even the politicians will recognise that the whole concept of "terror" has become eviscerated, and risible. The "War on Terror" will sound - rightly - about as sensible as a "War on Flatulence".

-- Glyn Moody, responding to Schneier (http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/07/the_continued_c.html )

War on Flatulence.

What we should do now is to use "terrorism" for even the most trivial infraction: "parking terrorism", "litter terrorism", "noise terrorism" - you get the idea. In no time at all, even the politicians will recognise that the whole concept of "terror" has become eviscerated, and risible. The "War on Terror" will sound - rightly - about as sensible as a "War on Flatulence".

-- Glyn Moody, responding to Schneier (http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/07/the_continued_c.html )

RCN vs the FCC - Who Will Win?

RCN is dropping analog cable service. No more "cable-ready" TVs plugging in one wire and just working -- now everything needs a cable box. But wait -- isn't this the company that offered all their basic channels in unencrypted QAM? That my HDHomeRun can pick up? Why, yes, yes it is. And they just dropped that, too.

So we are going to pay more money to RCN for a pair of HD cable boxes. Why HD? So that we can use the FireWire ports on the back for recording TV, of course. The installer shows up. The boxes have blank faceplates instead of FireWire ports.

The installer has never heard of FireWire.

The installer's supervisor says that they have never done FireWire. (Lie.) Then that they don't do FireWire any more. I offer to quote:

to accommodate these interfaces, effective April 1, 2004, upon consumer request, MSOs must provide functional 1394 outputs to HD STBs, either by downloading the necessary software to STBs with existing 1394 ports, or by replacing a deployed HD STB for one which includes 1394. These leased HD STBs must be controllable by a TV or other device equipped with a 1394 port for the tune function, mute function, restore volume function, power on, power off, and status inquiry. (Under the MOU, the STB will be provided at no additional cost to the customer, but MSOs may charge, as appropriate, for delivery and installation of the new STB.)

Oh. Well, they do FireWire, but they don't have any. The product manager will give me a call within a half-hour.

(It's been 20 minutes. Anyone want to bet that I won't be getting a call in the next 20? No, neither do I -- but I have the cable installer's cell number.)

The installer, by the way, is very impressed with MythTV.

Note for anyone interested: 47 CFR Ch.1 S76.640 (4 i)

(I let it go longer, then called 1-800-RING-RCN. They scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning, made a note of the right equipment to bring, and wrote a note that they will drop the extra site visit charge. We'll see.)

RCN vs the FCC - Who Will Win?

RCN is dropping analog cable service. No more "cable-ready" TVs plugging in one wire and just working -- now everything needs a cable box. But wait -- isn't this the company that offered all their basic channels in unencrypted QAM? That my HDHomeRun can pick up? Why, yes, yes it is. And they just dropped that, too.

So we are going to pay more money to RCN for a pair of HD cable boxes. Why HD? So that we can use the FireWire ports on the back for recording TV, of course. The installer shows up. The boxes have blank faceplates instead of FireWire ports.

The installer has never heard of FireWire.

The installer's supervisor says that they have never done FireWire. (Lie.) Then that they don't do FireWire any more. I offer to quote:

to accommodate these interfaces, effective April 1, 2004, upon consumer request, MSOs must provide functional 1394 outputs to HD STBs, either by downloading the necessary software to STBs with existing 1394 ports, or by replacing a deployed HD STB for one which includes 1394. These leased HD STBs must be controllable by a TV or other device equipped with a 1394 port for the tune function, mute function, restore volume function, power on, power off, and status inquiry. (Under the MOU, the STB will be provided at no additional cost to the customer, but MSOs may charge, as appropriate, for delivery and installation of the new STB.)

Oh. Well, they do FireWire, but they don't have any. The product manager will give me a call within a half-hour.

(It's been 20 minutes. Anyone want to bet that I won't be getting a call in the next 20? No, neither do I -- but I have the cable installer's cell number.)

The installer, by the way, is very impressed with MythTV.

Note for anyone interested: 47 CFR Ch.1 S76.640 (4 i)

(I let it go longer, then called 1-800-RING-RCN. They scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning, made a note of the right equipment to bring, and wrote a note that they will drop the extra site visit charge. We'll see.)