But don't also forget to buy a bluetooth headset too, because I can't see a mic on that iPad...?

He's doing it perfectly if he wants to continue in obscurity.

I'm not in marketing, but even I have learned in my career that the overused adage "there's no such thing as bad publicity" is almost always true.

To be topical, look at the Apple announcement today. The product they announced was basically a larger version of something they have been selling for 3 years, and yet through absurd "shilling" they have already managed to convince a large segment of the population it's a heretofore unknown tablet created by a supernatural power and discovered by Moses in the desert.

What you say might be true for China, but Indian economy is mainly driven by internal consumption. It is not an export driven economy.(India is a net importer).

So US/EU stopping trade with India wouldn't be catastrophic for the Indian economy.

You can always hang your own router off of the ethernet port of the FiOS router.....just saying.

While I don't subscribe to this particular creationist belief, I would likewise assert that the 'geek' community could do well with a little less fascism about what sort of thoughts and ideas are tolerable.

Don't be a fascist. Try and keep an open mind, and when you disagree, simply be polite about it. Barring people access because they don't agree with you is the least civilized path a person can advocate.

I'm an American, and you cannot conceive of how much I agree with your position!

Best of luck!

(Expose and excise Corporatism. Businesses are NOT a component of "The People", at least as the US founding Fathers meant.)

Hah! You've only been getting $7K? You need contacts in the "Black" world, $5K hammers make this $50K software!

"I've managed people in the past, and it struck me that Management should really be a support role. My most valuable contribution as a manager was making sure my people understood what was expected and getting them the information and resources they needed to do their best work. This involved a lot of spreadsheets and scheduling, which had nothing to do with the job I was promoted from (mechanic). The second most valuable contribution was protecting my people from the whimsy and downright predation of higher management, who felt that their purpose in life was to crack whips and make sure everyone below them knew they were being watched."

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You must have been living my past life!

Congratulations on your view point and the protection of your staff. It's more rare than you probably realize. (Oh, and it won't do you any good in the future either...)

Wow! Where are you from?

I'm 47 and can either starve, take a minimum wage job (if I can get one), or go back to complete the only BS degree within reach (2 years, I have an Associates) in a likely worthless discipline.

If I choose to go back I get to wipe out my savings, as my wife works and we have assets. $30K minimum for the remaining 68 credit hours, plus my lost wages (say another $30K/yr).

The degree, if I can navigate the "new and improved" education system, has little direct marketability. If I'm lucky the B.S. ******* University on my CV will at least get me an interview, and if I'm lucky more than a minimum wage job.

At any rate, the return will likely not be positive before my daughter enters college.

Want to live here?

Yes it has, and worse.

I was in the aviation / aerospace area which has simply been obliterated.

24 months ago I made $78K / Yr. 18 months ago I made $95K / yr. sliding to $58.5K / yr as my employer slid into bankruptcy and eventually liquidation.

Having worked a whopping total of 4 months this year, $8/hr begins to look reasonable, especially the closer I get to the unemployment benefit expiring. (I'm at the top end of my states UI benefit range, which equals roughly $9.75 / hour. Take taxes and basic catastrophic medical coverage out of it and you're left with $5.65 / hour. If my wife was not still employed, my children would be going hungry.)

Harsh reality, but at least here in Indiana I estimate the REAL unemployment rate at above 25% including those who are either relegated to part time only work, or massively underemployed.

As for me, I have been under-degreed / over-compensated for years. In all probability my future is handyman and home networking odd jobs.

This for a middle aged guy with children WAY to close to when they SHOULD be preparing for college. Oh, and the same thing is happening to higher education costs which have already transpired in the US medical industry...

The US is in a real mess, with no realistic escape avenues. The most probable outcomes are either hyper-inflation and societal meltdown, or energy disruption (either a cut off of our suppliers, or self inflicted through "environmental protection") and further contraction of what is left of the economy.

The only bright spot is that in certain regions the US is now becoming a reasonable manufacturing location as real wages offset by transportation costs have made our citizens competitive with "third world" workers.

I am REALLY becoming concerned what my children will face. Historically, societies which experience our most probable futures have nasty and violent reorganizations. Based upon the continued expansion of Corporatism and the further stratification of our society I fear a French Revolution type of outcome.

I absolutely agree! I assume by your comment then that you'll be doing your part to reduce the overpopulation and finding a way to excise yourself from humanity?

This sort of thing isn't just limited to the US. I don't know if they still do it, but some years ago, the Dutch state publisher claimed copyright on public government documents, including laws.

> Because US states are sovereign entities too?

Yes, as a matter of fact. They are.

You know, it is possible to loathe the UMD format while simultaneously loathing digital distribution even more.