There are a lot of phones which are cheap, without subsidy:
  * Moto G and Nexus 5
  * Anything from Oppo
  * Anything from One Plus
  * Anything from Xiaomi
  * Most of the Lumias

Many of those support Qi (I know for a fact that the Google ones and the Lumias do). I also know for a fact that T-Mobile doesnt require any sort of contract for phones, and that most carriers couldnt care less if you brought a new phone on-board.

Finally, for those who dont want to replace the phone, there are add-ons that will add the Qi coils to your phone via USB.
http://www.amazon.com/Wireless...

The same thing we've been doing as this process has gone on for hundreds of years.

New generations train in other areas, make more money, and support the older generation. This isnt even unusual in China, whereas it would be in the US.

Thats not correct. Lifehacker used to have direct links to Microsoft's DigitalRiver-hosted ISOs for all retail versions of Windows 7.

What if the genius has the disdain for the "commoner" that so far 80% of this discussion thread has shown?

Oh, thats right, we get visionaries like Pol Pot and Mao Zedong.

The really scary thing about all of these posts is that I can easily imagine the people making them putting a visionary like Mao Zedong in power.

Its really kind of scary what happens when you put highly intelligent asocial people in power; one longs for the company of "stupid, mewling peasants".

Worth looking into (and I intend to), but thats different than what OP suggests: that T-Mobile should somehow differentiate between normal ads and apps, and "actual data". This involves DPI.

I am not aware of this being true. I recently travelled through 3 countries in the mid east and asia, and had web and texting for free. The only thing that would have cost money was voice. This required no special plan or notification to T-Mobile.

It appears that the full NECA is NOT available, but the parts adopted into law for DC ARE. See my post here.

I probably shouldnt have been as harsh as I was, but Im not sure the name calling was warranted either.

From that site:

On March 28, 2014, the District of Columbia adopted 11 of the 2012 I-Codes and the NFPA’s 2011 NEC with changes, deletions, and/or additions set forth in the 2013 Construction Codes Supplement, 12 DCMR, Subtitles A through L.
Hyperlink and bolding added.

It appears that the full NECA is NOT available, but the parts adopted into law for particular areas ARE.

MD laws and statutes didnt come out, link here
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/web...
http://www.lawlib.state.md.us/

Have you actually looked?

Building codes for DC metro area:
Virginia building code
DC building code
MD codes (incl building)

Law for DC metro area:
Virginia law
DC Code / law
MD Laws and statutes

Fighting ignorance and BS on slashdot could easily be a full-time job; theres no shortage of people who will talk out of their rear about things they have no information on.

Neither are ad hominems and ridicule.

That would be an awful idea. We would lose crucial protections within 10 years because these untrained judges would have no conception of the reason for things like "double jeopardy" and "protection from self incrimination".

The only reason we have a 2nd amendment still is because SCOTUS is filled with old people who dont GAF what Chicago and DC have to say about the dangers of guns; they know the law, and they know overreach when they see it. You think a randomly elected individual would have the fortitude to back laws he doesnt like on principle, because its the correct ruling?

If you ever need proof that the average individual is not educated enough to interpret "what the law is", just frequent reddit. Your average person would shred the fourth and fifth amendments the first time a rapist was going to use them to get away with their crime. Your average person doesnt even understand the reason why we allow racist speech to be legal, and would probably shred the first amendment the first time a neo-nazi strolled into a jewish community in Illinois.

Heck, I doubt if your average person even knows what the amendments ARE. It is 100% appropriate for someone who does know these things, and is as unbiased as one can be in todays society (as they dont have to care what anyone else thinks), to instruct the jury on matters of law. Thats a good deal of the judge's job description, actually.

The idea is to remove them from external influence. Once appointed, you cannot be fired for a ruling people dont like, which makes it far easier to rule on "what the law is" rather than "what someone else wants it to be".

Elected judges would be an absolutely abysmal idea. Judges being elected is why theyre able to continually smack down overreach in areas of first, second, and fourth amendments. They dont always make the right call-- but they arent in lock-step with the other two branches, which is an incredibly important thing.