taviow Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 The FCC just blessed the merger of Comcast, the nation's largest cable and home Internet provider, with NBC Universal. The Justice Department approved the merger, too, leading to the unprecedented consolidation of media and Internet power in the hands of one company. There's no way to sugarcoat it. Wherever you live, the Comcast-NBC merger is a disaster. Letting one company control the pipes and the content that flows over those pipes is a formula for abuse. Comcast-NBC could soon hike up rates, take away your favorite channels or even stop you from watching your favorite shows online. Comcast has already targeted Netflix and other companies that compete with its video and Internet offerings. Read more about this here. You might be saying, "I'm not a Comcast customer, so I'm not worried." But Comcast will jack up the prices that other cable and online distributors pay for NBC content, and you'll pay higher prices -- we promise. You might be saying, "I can just get a new Internet provider if I don't like it." But there's almost no broadband competition. And as TV, radio, phone and other services increasingly become Internet-based, cable will be the only connection that's fast enough to deliver high-quality media and services to most Americans. You might be saying, "Why should I care about a business deal between two giant companies?" But this merger is certain to be the first domino to fall in a series of mega-media mergers. The FCC's blessing of Comcast-NBC will embolden companies like AT&T or Verizon to try to gobble up content providers like Disney and CBS, creating a new era of media consolidation where even fewer companies control the content you watch and all the ways you watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlshort Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Comcast is already screwing me over with its contract disputes with DISH network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowtrain Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I cancelled my cable a long time ago. Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlshort Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Comcast handles a lot more than cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowtrain Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Comcast handles a lot more than cable. True, but it's the cable TV costs that always struck me as both a) prohibitive b) crap I still pay comcast for my internet but I use it for business, school, games etc and so forth so its worth the money. And it's still cheaper than even the most basic cable tv package, even though I have to pay an additional $10 more for the internet simply because I don't have cable tv. Really, I can't stand Comcast, and you know their tech's didn't even wear white booties when they installed ny cable years ago, despite their advertisements to the contrary. Jerks. Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlshort Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 The problem I have is that they control a huge chunk of local sports broadcasting. They have contractual disputes with providers like directv and dish on a regular basis. That means I don't get to watch local sports teams. Now that they control nbc, they can really put the screws to other providers. Foreseeably this can cause problems with what programming is offered online, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taviow Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 A Texas-based trial run of Time Warner's bandwidth caps saw users paying nearly $30 a month for 768 kilobits-per-second access, with a limit of 5 gigabytes per month and a $1 fee for each gigabyte they went over. One step-up on their pricing tier had users paying nearly $55 for true broadband speeds of 15 megabits-per-second, with a limit of 40 gigabytes per month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walsingham Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 But surely, companies can't possibly be evil? "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orogun01 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Monopoly's the game Wals, it's not like it's the first time something like this happens. I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walsingham Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Monopoly's the game Wals, it's not like it's the first time something like this happens. Very crude irony missed there, mate. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I want teh kotor 3 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Luckily, I don't watch TV, and can just tether everything... But I gotta say, this is crap... In 7th grade, I teach the students how Chuck Norris took down the Roman Empire, so it is good that you are starting early on this curriculum. R.I.P. KOTOR 2003-2008 KILLED BY THOSE GREEDY MONEY-HOARDING ************* AND THEIR *****-*** MMOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyCrimson Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I gave up being mad about such business things a long time ago. It certainly doesn't please me/I think it sucks, but that's money and greed and business for you, nothing new. “Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.” – Alan Watts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walsingham Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I gave up being mad about such business things a long time ago. It certainly doesn't please me/I think it sucks, but that's money and greed and business for you, nothing new. If you'll forgive my saying so, that's a bloody dangerous line to take. They're just merchants. We can and should smack them down when they get delusions of grandeur. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gfted1 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Hold up, a company wants to charge more for faster speeds and more bandwidth? Those bastards! "I'm your biggest fan, Ill follow you until you love me, Papa" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyCrimson Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) I gave up being mad about such business things a long time ago. It certainly doesn't please me/I think it sucks, but that's money and greed and business for you, nothing new. If you'll forgive my saying so, that's a bloody dangerous line to take. They're just merchants. We can and should smack them down when they get delusions of grandeur. I think you're mistaking not being mad, or not being an active activist, for utter 1984-style apathy. If I don't like something and I have the means/ability to not use/buy it, I won't. Then I don't think about it anymore. There's enough things for my blood pressure to worry over without including things I have no direct control over. Edit: With Comcast, we need/don't have a choice on the internet part, and I'm not going to cancel the cable until they actually DO something that I personally find intolerable. Edited January 20, 2011 by LadyCrimson “Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.” – Alan Watts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I want teh kotor 3 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... In 7th grade, I teach the students how Chuck Norris took down the Roman Empire, so it is good that you are starting early on this curriculum. R.I.P. KOTOR 2003-2008 KILLED BY THOSE GREEDY MONEY-HOARDING ************* AND THEIR *****-*** MMOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walsingham Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humodour Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". The amusing thing is that LoF hasn't actually said a word in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orogun01 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". The amusing thing is that LoF hasn't actually said a word in this thread. It would be funny to find out that it was because it's provider got shut down due to the merger or something I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I want teh kotor 3 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". This may be the greatest sentence I've read today. In 7th grade, I teach the students how Chuck Norris took down the Roman Empire, so it is good that you are starting early on this curriculum. R.I.P. KOTOR 2003-2008 KILLED BY THOSE GREEDY MONEY-HOARDING ************* AND THEIR *****-*** MMOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walsingham Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". This may be the greatest sentence I've read today. This makes me sad for the other sentences. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorth Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". This may be the greatest sentence I've read today. This makes me sad for the other sentences. I'm sure somebody will do formal research on the subject some day... "sentence envy" aka "My Sentence is bigger than yours!" “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthe Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm sure somebody will do formal research on the subject some day... "sentence envy" aka "My Sentence is bigger than yours!" It's not the size, it's how you use it! In fact, I want to voice my objection to the moderation teams sizeist attitude towards sentences! You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orogun01 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 This thread is now about sentences. I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guard Dog Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I'm surprised LoF hasn't put his $.02 about the manyfold evils of capitalism in yet... I should imagine he's far too excited to sit down and write it out. He's like a kid at his birthday party on this one. Tearing around his flat shouting "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". The amusing thing is that LoF hasn't actually said a word in this thread. Maybe he has, hmmmm? "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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