One hears that FAX is dead, but its really not... I typically send or receive 1-2 FAXes per week... not that much, but these are to companies, offices, etc where it really was the bestest, fastest way to get something done -- i.e. email would NOT have worked, for whatever reason. A lot of medical records and notes are still faxed. I just did a car loan which worked much better through FAX than email. Insurance companies often fax docs, temporary insurance cards, etc.

Still plenty of dialup modem usage that most of us probably have used recently in one way or another, including FAX machines, home security systems, credit card machines, even DirectTV boxes. So I'll bet that most that said they haven't used a modem in 5 years or more are wrong...

"Backdooring a CPU wouldn't actually be that difficult."

but fairly unlikely, at least not in the way you describe, with a "specific command sequence". 1) its at too low a level to be really useful as a backdoor, not without the help of backdoor software higher up, but then what's the point? there are already many "backdoor"-like ways to gain privileges as long as the software is there to support them, 2) it would have to be designed to NOT slow the CPU down or take up obvious chip real estate... the CPU biz is so competitive that any extra overhead of either type would make that chip less competitive in the market.

I really don't see how these vehicles can actually work in real-live driving situations... Supposing there is an accident, or other temporary traffic re-routing... the local cop wants you to roll down your window, and he is going to TELL you where to drive to get around this obstruction... Or deer running across the street... I'm sure VERY hard to detect (I can barely see them myself coming off from the side...) Or small things in the road that you want to avoid (potholes, glass, etc) Or avoiding certain streets but only during certain times or days of the year or certain sporadic happenings (parties, riots, drug street wars, or snow, flooding, etc)

can't really have it both ways... of course the deep pockets can pay more for more revenue-generating spectrum, what else is new?

So much foolishness... some workers pay $150/mo for parking at work, so those with "free" parking have to pay taxes on it? all those personal calls on company phones? some places have pay toilets, so I have to pay taxes on the men's room?, spring water at the fountain and free wifi? leave it alone... geesh...

I think I'm dating myself, but I took a typing class during a summer in high school... probably 35 years ago. I'm sure it helped my speed and accuracy greatly.
I don't think kids take typing classes anymore, do they? I haven't heard of anyone taking such a class for decades... perhaps we need a poll for this... :)
It would seem that most people are now happy with either the all thumbs approach or the right index finger approach to typing (depending on whether one has a qwerty phone for texting, or an iphone...)

less greed? I doubt it...

proper labor relations?
you mean that workers are crammed into sweat shops, making $1/hr or less, no benefits or health insurance/care, sleep on cots and don't see their families for a month at a time... Here is where the real difference is...

you don't get it... bulk rate (junk mail) mail SUBSIDIZES regular (e.g. 1st class mail), not vice versa. If you reduce or eliminate junk mail, USPS revenue would plummet and 1st class rates would probably have to jump by 5X just to break even...

ditto on the Netflix issue... no more 2 per week... Blockbuster had "solved" this problem in a similar way by allow you to drop off rentals at BB stores and that counts as a return -- new disc is shipped out the next day. I was able to do 3 per week with BB. It would be great if Netflix allowed a similar system, perhaps by the "trusted" method you suggest. But since Netflix is looking to kill its DVD-by-mail service anyways, I doubt they will lift a finger to solve this new problem...

I have gotten items shipped from China to US for the same price as local US mail...

the thing is, when you get something from China, the "postage" or shipping cost that you are paying is just the part from China to a US port. Then the USPS is obligated to deliver it from int'l port to your US doorstep for FREE. No doubt sending mail within China is cheaper than within the US... the price of cellphones is cheaper in China too... but you can't simply compare the ebay shipping cost from China>US to US>US... it isn't a Chinese postman that delivers your Chinese pens and knickknacks to your US door...

"Every other version. Windows 3 sucked less than DOS (which was still used by Windows 1.0)."

mmm.... DOS was still used by Win95, 98, 98se and ME. And Windows 3.0 sucked so much that it is highly debatable that it sucked less than DOS itself. Very, very few people liked or used Win3.0. Most people stayed at Win2.1 until 3.1 came out.

My 85yo mom's 10yo laptop was dying so she asked for a new laptop. Her #1 complaint was that it was hard to see the screen of the old laptop. So I bought her a cheap ($450) large screen laptop (17"). She is very happy. No tablet can address the aging eyesight issue better than a large screen device...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s_BqdZrUbE (barfing barbie)

Recall the existence of all those xenon arc bulbs in photo flash and strobe lights and the answer is obvious...