So... let me make sure I've got this right: Your solution after that rant is to give those, whose goal is to fuck us all, more resources? If we can't trust them to keep us from a police state, how in the world are we to trust them to allocate funds honestly?

Worse! I'm a current T-Mobile customer who ditched AT&T when I bought my N900. Think they'll just disconnect me? ;-)

You made the point I came in here to find. Let me reiterate: If piracy != lost sales, what is the problem exactly? Now we all know the media cartels will threaten politicians with lower revenues (be it taxes lost or contributions) due to piracy regardless. But from a business point of view, why lower prices to convert pirates if the current model is more profitable? The end game is always to raise prices and lower piracy. Whatever it takes.

I'm fairly sure that in Ireland they've been electing ARSEholes. ;-)

The problem with your nurse/doctor analogy is also one of the big problems with health care. Though nurses are perfectly capable of handling myriad medical issues, due to insurance and regulatory issues, they are often not allowed to. If we didn't need that one doctor to rubber-stamp the work 5 nurses were doing, we could have him doing the things only a doctor can. In theory, this would lower costs across the board, as nurses are cheaper.

I understood that decision as exempting cell phones specifically from the DMCA provision Apple was clinging to.

The issue is not so much in unlocking the software, I'd imagine, but the firmware. It seems reasonable to me that a hardware warranty be voided by any number of tweaks you could make with custom firmware. Overclocking comes to mind.

At least here in CA your employer is legally obligated to provide you a way to access your earnings in cash for no fee.

The only way for banks to make any substantial money off of low-wage workers is through fees. It is particularly easy to hit these people over and over, as their accounts always hover near zero and they don't have the funds for legal recourse.

At least here in the states, I can't speak for elsewhere, it is often prudent for the true lower-class to avoid banking altogether if possible. Even the money spent on money orders and pre-paid debit cards pales in comparison to one week of overdraft penalties.

No, that was a more different "S".

You're doing it wrong. You were supposed to attack their sexuality.

There's two sides to that coin. Software with high production costs do need to be extremely popular to make porting to apple OSs worthwhile; however, products with low production costs benefit by being as widely available as possible without the worry of massive overhead. Furthermore, simple programs are more likely to be accepted as they pose less threat.

That's a wonderful idea! Money addiction!

"Have you acquired large amounts of liquid assets? Do you feel as though the desire for more wealth is consuming your life? Is your estate becoming burdensome in its enormity? Come to the Greed-Addiction center. We can help! I guarantee it! Cash, credit and money orders accepted."

And, as evidenced by this article, totally unreasonable. Not just to ask, but to expect. Meet the new boss...

It would be cool if it was alive today...

Yeah... That would roc!!