RIP-Felix

Why isn't internet, even dial-up, a free public service yet? It's an absolute necessity today for just about everything. I had to help my dad apply for a job, because he skipped the computer age. Now he has a smartphone, but has never owned a PC. There should be a free option, besides the local library. If for no other reason than to apply for work. BTW: I just activated my new ArrisTG862G, so no more lease fee. That's it, I can't make it any cheaper. Xfinity Double play (Internet = 30Mbps D, 5Mbps U + Phone) - Modem Lease fee PSVue + Free OTA TV instead of Cable Hopefully that will work out well.

Never trust a fart! Words to live by...truth!

Manage your expectations. I'm hoping the acting improves in episode 8, like it did in episode 5, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm more interested to see what drove Kylo to betray his family. Rogue One looks to be interesting, beacuse we already know it's going to be a gritty tale of heroism. Plus it might fill in som gaps and hint at episode 8, so there's the potential to add fuel the the speculation out there. I always like to speculate. As for the acting, who knows. I agree though, the acting in the prequel trilogy was...um...from a different school of drama than the originals (to put it euphemistically). It's really only 3 I can actually watch without cringing most of the way through.

For me the prequel trilogy was difficult to watch in most of e1 and some of e2, but I actually don't mind e3. That one I actually want to watch again in a star wars marathon. I would defiantly put Rouge One before e4. E4 itself was the most self contained story and blew open the Scify genra to the masses, but I actually find the acting lacking at times. It's not a perfect movie, but one that we love so much we forgive its faults and don't hold them against it (It's the same with people we love, at least it's supposed to be). It's hard to follow that.kind of success, but for me at least, e5 was the best sequel in movie history. Empire is easily my favorite of them all (I love Hoth). The acting picked up and the cast really hit a grove that, combined with possibly the greatest movie cliffhanger, propelled them into e6. Now IMO e6 was the weaker than e3. E7 actually holds it's own, but as mentioned before it caters to a younger generation than the generation e4, e5, & e6 hooked. That may not fly with the die hards, but when you really think about it, the jovial elements and comedic relief were always in star wars to appeal to kids and adults. Your just the adult now, not the kid. I think that shift is responsible for the change in our perception of where these new movies rank, at least as much as the actual content is (excluding e1 & e2, they actually cater too much to the kids. I don't feel embarrassed to have liked R2-D2 as a kid now that I'm and adult, but I would if I liked Jar-Jar. The writing defiantly missed big with that character, but it's hard to gauge that kind of thing beforehand. It's kinda like pokemon, I'm ashamed to admit I collected them as a kid now that I'm an adult. To a lesser extent I even feel that way about Star Trek, and I still like it). IDK, If you step back and marathon the movies thus far, then think about the movies still to come, I think there is more than enough to keep you excited. And frankly, taken holistically, Star wars (even with the sappy e1 and difficult to watch coming of age e2) is still my favorite science fiction screenplay series (includes TV franchises, edging out even Stargate and BSG).

I'm locked into another 2yr contract with Capcast internet + Phone, but that'll give me the time to find a better solution (cheaper, no cap/higher). I'll also get a better Idea of how close we'll come to that 1TB cap. I've thought about charter. Price looks good, but what are the fees? I'm half expecting everybody is trying to hide the real cost of the service in the fees, but maybe I'm jaded by my experience with CapCrackleStop. EDIT: Charter doesn't have service in my area Too bad too, because they would buy out our contract severance up to $500. I guess I'm still looking...Done looking. Aparently the only other option (other than sattelite) is CentuaryLink DSL. The price is comparable and aparently they have the same fee hiking strategy. So I guess I'll just stick to this, especially since I just bought a new modem. I guess that's the best I can do. Still, I'm saving about $100/mo so that's not too shabby!

Apparently they are rolling caps out regionally. We're the next unlucky saps to be blanketed with caps (that article says 15% of Comcraps foot print is capped). We've been lucky so far, but no more I guess. Anyone know if a PS4 or XBone pulls more data each month than previous consoles all things being equal? I imagine that as streaming services and devices mature the data will also increase steadily. So does this mean comcastle will raise their cap?

I found this article fascinating.

MS what? MS makes an image editing tool...seriously? No actually they don't, at least not one that's been relevant for 15 year

So I received a letter in the mail from Xfinity (AKA the evil comca$t empire) saying that starting November 1st they will be charging overage fees to customers who use more than 1 Terabyte in a month. Each additional data block of 50GB will incur a $10 overage fee up to a max of $200 (and here's the ultimatum), unless you pay another $50/mo for unlimited data. Waaaaahhh!!! They say it would affect less than 1% of their customers. Yeah, because they're jumping ship and aren't your customers anymore! However, I just cut the cable, so to speak, and canceled triple play in favor of a double play (Phone + internet). I'm going to Playstation Vue and Over The Air broadcasts of free TV. Essentially, I'm just shifting my bandwidth from cable to internet, which will increase my usage. The data metering they will now start employing is directed at those who cut the cord and will be shifting their use of cable bandwidth to internet bandwidth - streaming ever increasing data hog formats like UHD 4K...We're screwed! I was averaging 400GB per month before, with just a Wii using Netflix. I have a PS3 I use periodically to watch Netflix, but I did most of my viewing on the X1. Now it will be on PSVue and Netflix, you can easily double that 400GB right there. I just bought a Roku 4 to stream HD 1080P instead of what ever the Wii was doing, and that's only until I can get a 4K TV. I was planning to Get a PS4 this holiday season. All of this was supposed to come out of the savings from an extra $100/mo not going to Comca$t. With the shift from cable to internet, that 400GB/mo is surely to increase near that 1TB mark. And that's without factoring in online gaming and downloading the odd movie. A little background. Our local professional sports team signed an exclusive TV rights deal with Comca$t that held fans hostage. For 10 years I could not see my team play if I did not buy a ticket or see it on ESPN, TNT, or on local TV. The only way to see all the games was to be a Comca$t TV paytron. So for the last 10 years, I've been fighting the cat and mouse game with Comca$t. This year our team finally negotiated another deal. Unfortunately they extended the deal with Comca$t (NoooOOOOO!!!). However, PlayStation Vue managed to pick up the channel that broadcasts the majority of games (Comca$t sports net = CSN). PSVue has TNT and ESPN so I would still get the games they pick up. PSVue doesn't live stream any of our local channels (1 of which will pick up a few games this season), but I can get that over the air with a cheap VHF/UHF antenna. So I now have one, and only one, viable alternative. Being thoroughly sick of Comca$ts business model, I decided to cut the cord. Here is the nutshell of my experience with comca$t over the last 10 years: If you are a new customer at a particular residence, they will give you a good deal. I just looked at their current offering and it was $89.99 for 12mo with only a one year contract (Basic Savings triple play). To compare. I now pay $70/mo for the 25Mbps double play + $35/mo for PSVue = $105, but I can remove $10/mo of that by buying my own modem. So in a few weeks it will be $95/mo. But that's still more than Xfinity triple play right? That's how they hook you, it looks like a better deal. IT"S NOT!. They don't tell you about the fees they add to that price. "Oh jeez, not again. Everyone whines about fees." I know the fee argument seem trite, but consider this. Using my fees from last month would add 47% to that $89.99 making it $132.44/mo. Not such a good looking deal now, huh? And that's just the first 12 months! Many of those "fees" are actually just price increases designed to look as if they are recovering the cost from an overbearing governmental regulation system. This serves two purposes: It makes the service look cheaper than it is, shielding the true cost from potential customers so they can't easily make an informed decision. They hope to get you locked into a contract you can't get out of without paying a severance fee. It serves their political agenda to show all their customers how much the government is making them pay in regulatory fees, and if it wasn't for all this regulation they would be able to remove the fees from your bill. They don't want to combine the fees into a single price, because it serves their bottom line not to. Moreover the effect of the language used is to perpetuate the above misconception, without being liable legally. After the first contract is up they will offer you a promotion that locks you into a 2 year contract on an escalating pay schedule. They'll tell you that they can offer you a special promotion, just for you, that will give you the next package up (from basic to preferred or from performance internet to Blast) at no additional cost. The first year would be cheap (like $139.99, but remember to add in fees = $182.44) and the second would go up $15 to $197.44. After that It will be full price (of the preferred), but if you just call back then, they give you another promotion on a ratcheting basis (they'll offer another "special promotion" that will move you up to premium at no additional cost). Sounds good on the phone, "I gets HBO for free! Hells yeah! Sign me up homie." The thing is, that the ratchet only turns one way (it's called up-selling). You get a promotion to the next package up or another special promotion on the one you're currently in. You can go back to the next lower package, but they wont apply a promotion with it, so it ends up being the same price by design as the promotion to stay at your current package. Once the promotion expires and your at full price 2 years later you'll see this bill... On my last bill the bundle was the following (Read this, it was helpful to me): $174.99 (HD Preffered Plus XD with a $20 bundle discount) + $10.00 (Wireless Gateway, the WIFI telephony modem. You can buy your own to avoid this lease fee. I did this once and then they obsoleted it in a year or two going from DOCSIS 2 to 3. I just bought another. I've heard of people getting phantom modem lease fees, where suddenly a bill comes with a lease fee that shouldn't be there. I hope that comca$t would retroactively reimburse customers who don't notice this for a few months, but even if they do it forces a call where they will try to negotiate an up-sell. You can't up sell if they don't call. I'm on the national do not call list, so I wonder how much they'd be calling if I wasn't) + $9.95 (The X1 HDDVR, only one. Each additional one will cost you) + $4.99 (Additional Outlet, tiny box that technically got cable. But all we ever used it for was local TV, what a waste - especially since they are charging me a re broadcast fee on top of the additional outlet fee, totaling $11.50, see below, when I could have just used an antenna. It makes me feel humiliated. It was hiding in plain sight all this time and never once did I make the connection, nor did comca$t inform me during one of the many calls I placed to them in order to find a way to lower our bill without canceling altogether! Now that I've cut the cord how'd that work for you Comca$t? The answer is pretty outstanding considering their monopoly and my insignificance. It's a numbers game. In this one simple way they are getting an extra $11.50 x however many of the 22.5 million comca$t TV subscribers have an additional outlet they don't use.) + $ 6.50 (Broadcast TV Fee - they charge you for rebroadcasting the free tv you could otherwise get with an antenna. This is a bogus charge and just a scam to raise/veil prices) + $0.98 (Universal connectivity fee - Passes Comca$ts Federal Universal Service Fund contribution onto its customers. This fund provides affordable communications services to low-income and rural customers, and eligible schools). + $2.02 (Regulatory Recovery Fee -This is a bogus charge and just a scam to raise/veil prices. It's Comcast passing the cost of projected loss in profits from local, state, and federal regulation onto its customers, which sounds like it's not Comca$ts fault, but don't be fooled. This is not a fee imposed on Comca$t by government! It is the amount Comca$t will will not earn as a result of complying with local laws (Laws they would prefer didn't exist). It might be cheaper to plow through a protected forest if not for that pesky law. "Oh well, well just make the customers pay the difference." That's what this charge is in all reality. It's also known as a Monoplyi/TBTF Tactic and is nothing new. This is the type of thing that results from deregulation, but they make it look like too much regulation in an effort to further undermine regulation. The psychology is interesting. And where do you think all those psychology majors get a job? Mental asylums? Ok...I know what you're thinking...Comcast is a mental asylum...lol. Actually, in a mental asylum the psychologists run the asylum, not the psychopaths, Comca$t is the exact opposite! The only thing Comca$st has in common wit a Mental asylum is that both exist to help the psychopaths.) + $4.50 (Rregional Sports Fee - all thoes regional sports channels you may not want are subsidized by all comca$t customers, not just those who want them) + $8.51 (Franchise fee - the Fees imposed on Comca$t by local municipalities for use of public property to run cable. In other words, Comca$t passing the cost of doing business onto its customers in such a way to make you think they're too heavily regulated. "See all this crap we have to pay." Seriously? If you're going to dig up public streets to lay a cable line, you should at least foot the bill. Like I said earlier, this is just a way to hide this amount from prospective new clients, while simultaneously perpetuating the myth that they're over regulated. They insinuate that they could remove this fee if the laws were changed, but all they would do is add it back to the base price and take it off the monthly bill. They push numbers, that's what they do.) $0.08 (FCC regulatory fee - Comca$ts portion of the FCC administration costs passed onto its customers). $0.75 (911 fee - Comca$ts portion of the emergency support services passed onto its customers). So the bill that finally broke me totaled: $222.44= I'll end with this: America The Beautiful: ... O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife When once and twice, for man's avail Men lavished precious life! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free! ...

What was "Hot Runny Turd"? My top three speculations (having no idea to begin with): A "Dr. Mario" clone, butt instead of dropping antibiotics to kill microbes, you drop suppositories to constipated patients. A Christmas themed "Mario Bros.", one more accurate to Mario's day job. Instead of koopa troopas coming out of the tubes, it's Mr. Hankey! "Hello Everybody". A "Tapper" clone where you serve mudslides instead of beer? Ok, so this one wasn't up to the standard of the other two, butt 3 look better than two. So I had to come up with something.

Preferences I guess. I set paint.net as my default image program, so when I double click (or right click open) an image it automatically opens into paint.net. From there it's just File --> Save as --> Choose where and select the format in the drop down.

I use pain.net Way more options, easy to use, killer plugins available...and it's free...free...free!!!!! I have and am periodically still trying to learn Gimp, but Frankly paint.net does it easier IMO. I hate photo$hop (notice the size of metaphorical S).

3D printer = Rapid prototyping, they're a hell of a tool. Plus there are all kinds of cool templates out there. 3D printer templates are like the new App, except after downloading you get to play with a real tangible doohickey. Instead of an obsolete at release software, I'd rather they made a 3D application for VR headsets that allows users to "VRPaint" 3D objects in a more natural environment. I guess I don't see the point when there are better options out there. "Oh yea it came with windows...now how do I delete it for the extra space?"

Touche So, maybe my problem isn't with the switch as much as it is with my frustration of having to carry a purse (or satchel if you will) with me all the time...lol. So many devices. I'm starting to sound old, am I not? Actually, now that I've had a chance to mull it over, it's starting to grow on me...the switch that is. It runs android, and all the emus that implys. Has 2 controllers on-board and a Pro version easily pairable Has a more than capable processor That would make for a killer mobile gaming platform. That does get me excited. I wonder how they plan to cool it though. I had a tablet I returned because it had active cooling. It that took air in through vents on the top rim and a blower fan pushed out scolding hot air through the side. It wasn't too loud, but it was not suitable for quiet places. I get the feeling they will have to do something like this.

I like that aspect of the switch, quality games...but I already have a tablet. I'm not sure I really want another one, especially since the one I have is a full fledged windows 10 PC which I use daily for work. An android tab just doesn't appeal to me. If the switch had open architecture to allow any OS to coexist with the Nintendo functionality, that would be a different story. But I'm certainly not going to walk around with 2 tablets on me. I'd rather replace the one I have with the switch, as long as I don't loose functionality.

I have to say I didn't expect to see this kind of support for it. Maybe I've lost touch with gaming. I guess I'm just underwhelmed. Ok, so I'll admit I like the idea of removable controls for the tablet and the charging dock doubling as a console connected to a TV, but I don't like the controls on a plastic "doohickey" to make an awkward controller. I'm mainly concerned it'll be an overpriced tablet and under powered console. The upside being, of course, it plays Nintendo content. The disappointment being, I expected more. This is what happens when the allspark hits a tablet resting on a wii U! I swear this thing is strait out of transformers. Maybe that's a good thing. IDK, I'm skeptical.

Agreed (about the software part), but I think they could focus on recapturing market share with traditional next gen console and killer/comfortable controller. Get back to the basics and lose the gimmicks... Yes! VR as a built in functionality. They'd be the first console with VR not being an afterthought. They could nail that market, they have all the right exclusive franchises (namely Metroid, Mario, Zelda and Starfox). First Person shooter/RPGs and sims are a given for VR. So Metroid and Starfox would be a no brainer. Mario and Zelda could be the innovation they need to get back on the map. How to bring platform and RPG into the VR realm poses an exciting challenge. I think a traditional approach to hardware (just a capable nextgen console that looks good in a AV cab), plug'n play peripherals (like a range of VR headsets, genra specific controllers, and haptic feedback devices), and the innovative software unique to Nintendo (above mentioned franchises and that Nintendo mojo) is all they need to dominate once again. The key is to not force a gimick on us. Have the motion controls, have the VR, have the Tablet and touch screes, but make them plug'n play devices; Add ons that are compatible with a traditional next gen Console. No requirement to play a game with VR, or with the tablet, or with the motion controls. Sometimes I just want to play a game with my TV and a comfortable controller (no motion control, no tablet, no stylus, no gimmicks). And if later I feel like putting on a VR headset, haptic feedback suit, grab a FPS genra rifle controller for a full blown holodeck like experience, I would have the option. That's where I envision the future of gaming, not some weird lego controller tablet (seriosusly? WTF is that Nintendo?). Truthfully, I think Sony gets it. They seem to be on top of their game, and frankly I don't see Nintendo catching up anymore. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong.

Sounds fun, I'll have to check it out if I ever do go. I was thinking it might be fun, with all the shows and parks. Like you, I'm not into the gaming...well, not the kind you have a chance of getting you're money back at anyway...you know what I mean.

I was actually planning to gut my NES to house a Mini ITX (NESPC), but it still works and that desire has cooled (good thing I didn't pull the trigger!). I do have a broken Atari 2600 that I've thought might be fun to use as a retropie ot retroarch build with something like the PI3, but again I keep convincing myself that I may be able to fix the PCB (80's tech still had large solder contacts and with a little interweb sleuthing It should be doable). If you do want to do a 2600 your right about the power switch, but the reset switch is a momentary switch (springs back). So you can swap it for the power switch.

There's only one way to follow that up...and it brings us forward a few decades (now I'm showing my age) A good end to a party, time to crash...Peace

I got the bottle you got the cup! I raise you a Brass Monkey (1:58)

Or a bottle of Château (2:29) PS: I'm rock'n from the back section...I feel ya!

I had to log into the FTP in filezilla to get it. My browser's download manager kept failing too, but FTP works like a champ.

I was just about to look into this myself, so thanks for doing all the leg work..

Love it!