These physicists should hang their heads in shame.

...at the end of the day, I trust Google (and even Apple) far more than my government. My relationship with them is contractual, whereas my relationship with the government is through the barrel of a gun.

Does this mean that you have to upgrade each and every year to get the upgrade cost? Can you wait 4 years and still only pay $25 for the latest? Because if not, it doesn't sound much better than what it costs now. Sounds more like a way to charge for service packs.

I'd actually prefer a daily rental model for Windows as I only ever use it anymore for flashing devices, turbo tax or the occasional game.

Are you suggesting that they'd be able to get an amendment passed on this? Because it ain't covered under the 16th.

I used buy all my computer parts at NewEgg and still would be, had it not been for their atrocious shipping department. And it was hardly just me, as their comment boards are filled with complaints about it. At one point, they shipped me an OEM drive, thrown into a 1.5'x1.5' box, with basically a 18" sheet of packing paper (looked like it came out of the bathroom dispenser). The next time, I tried paying extra for their better FedEx shipping, and they sent it UPS anyway (which is not an option for hard drives, IMO).

Either way, after spending thousands of dollars a year there, every year, I finally moved on. They lost me for want of a handful of bubble wrap. Now that I'm hooked on Amazon Prime Shipping (as well as their stellar returns service), I can't see myself ever going back.

Hmmm. I've had many hard drives and plenty that arrive dead or fail within the first three months, but I'm not sure that I've ever had one that failed, after it's proven itself for more than a year. I've gotten to the point where I won't even use a drive, unless it's proved itself (as a backup HDD) for at least a year.

Throughout most of America's history there was hardly any inflation at all. Now, you'd be hard pressed to find a food or energy product (necessary basics) that hasn't doubled in price over the past 10 years.

The CPI calculations were so heavily rigged by the Carter and Regan administrations, that they no longer have any basis in reality.

...I just need a 2560x1600 monitor that doesn't cost four times as a similar res tablet, with its own processor, battery, wifi, memory, GPS, touchscreen and wireless HDMI.

I have no problem with people who don't believe in God, and I have no religious beliefs of my own, but (some) atheists creep me out in the same way that many born again Christians do. Especially atheists coming from strong religious backgrounds. They act like they have to prove the absense of God, in order to justify their lack of faith. If faith helps certain people, then that's good for them, and I have no desire to attack that.

But personally, I've never understood how people on either side could be so certain about the unknowable. If you can't know, who cares? I'll find out when I die and I have infinity on my hands to ponder it (or not).

Since the many pollsters who call me, don't let me pick a 3rd party candidate, they all just mark me down as independent. Once they have the election results, that will change, but then they'll know which way they need to shift to get my vote. A true independent offers no such clue.

I get one or two volunteers calling me from the Romney campaign each day. I tell them I'm voting 3rd party, yet instead of hanging up the phone, they spend at least five or so minutes trying to debate me out of it (which is a huge amount of time for a phone banker). Really not feeling like I don't exist right now.

Democrats and Republicans can reliably count on their party line votes, regardless of how they flip flop. That's why they focus more on the "independent" vote, come election time. The only way to influence the major parties anymore, is to show a significant uptick in the third party you most support. At the very least, you can affect the talking points of the next election.

...the Earth's mantle will be coming to us in two months.

By northeast, I guess I'm limited that to the tri-state area. But it's in how they sell beer there. If you want a decent beer, you have to drive 30+ minutes to a specialty beverage store as opposed to a quick 5 minute trip to any liquor store. I've just come to accept that when I visit NY, my choice is pretty much limited to Sam Adams.

I'm guessing you live in the north east, or somewhere else with limited selection. America has the best tasting and widest variety of beer in the world. I'd say that no small part of the reason why it's cheaper here. Endless comptetion.

No, for the last time, it's Matheus with an 'e'!