The new chip-based credit card will cover the issue with brick and mortar stores. The chip only gives enough information to the merchant to complete a single transaction. The chip is an active component unlike the current magnetic strip. It contains an public/private key encryption module that signs information that can be used to verify that specific authorization. I could be wrong but I think the mobile NFC payment technologies do something similar.

Other than the author being butthurt at modernization, what's the problem here?

I just got a six pack of reusable cups for less than $10 on Amazon for my Keurig 1.0. That way I don't even have to worry about washing them every day, just toss them in the dishwasher once a week when I'm already going to run it. Saves money and is incredibly convenient, I can't believe that they were dumb enough to not even make an official reusable cup at their normal absurdly high prices.

Good bang for your buck and ethical business practices. Hell, just the unethical business practices alone should make most informed people stay away from Intel.

This is actually a really good idea. Stage events like this to lure psychotic murderers out, then eliminate the threat. It keeps innocent people safe and saves on tax dollars from not having to keep the religious lunatics in prison - everybody wins.

I'm sorry, I just can't believe when someone says that they don't care about a blurry picture or extremely noticeable pixelation. That's like someone saying "If I like the restaurant, I don't care if there's a family of cockroaches in my food".

32" 720p TV. Do you...do you sit four inches away? Or did you pay for binoculars? Still running a 486 with 2 MB of RAM for your desktop?

Yes, because that's totally why people like it and not for the fact that you can actually see detail and don't have pixelation or "jagged edges".

I enjoy your work of fiction and wish to subscribe to your monthly short stories email. Where do I sign up?

Depends on provider / where you live. I pay for 50 Mbps from TWC and while it varies some (it's cable, of course it'll vary some), I usually a little OVER 50 Mbps, even during peak hours. That's with multiple gamers / Netflix addicts in the house. The only time speed becomes an issue is if someone is being inconsiderate and running several torrents at a time while everyone else is trying to stream movies / download games off Steam.

That's not a "videophile" thing, that's a "Dude, you should probably go to an optometrist and get that check out" thing.

Have you seen how massive games are these days? GTA V is a 60 GB download, The Evil Within is a 50 GB download, Titanfall is 30 GB, etc - all just the base games, no DLC included in those sizes. If you're barely paying more than you used to pay for a 30 - 50 Mbps connection, why WOULDN'T you go for 1 - Gbps and not have to spend hours or days downloading a new game?

Yes, how DARE We "surrender" to the people providing the best service at the best price! THOSE BASTARDS!

Monopolies that grow based on actually being the best at what they do eventually fail (see long list of companies who used to be the #1 in their field by a LONG shot and are now either has-beens or are out of business). Monopolies put in by the government cannot fail because the government won't let any competition exist to cause them to fail.

Why is it OK for me to have my regular insurance and carry four friends in the car who give me money for gas, yet suddenly I need more insurance if there are four people riding in my car and paying me but I just met them?

Again, why do 99.9% of the cars on the road not need yearly expenses, but if I want to have other people ride with me that aren't friends / family members, suddenly my car needs a yearly inspection?

Because college students shouldn't make money, they should be racking up more debt.

You want to tell the person trying to earn a living that they have to pay for a bunch of pointless shit, then you want to make them pay for the PRIVILEGE of paying for that pointless shit? Yup, you're a politician alright.