While I agree with most everything you say, I just want to point out that the minimum purchase requirements for card use are almost always not allowed based on the terms and conditions of the bank that is providing the swiping machine/software. It's a crap rule, but it is the rule.

God I hate my job.

The trouble is, the postal service can't do that for 43 cents (or 44). They've been trying like hell to, but they can't. And here we are. As rarely as I mail things, I wouldn't be opposed to dropping a buck to mail a letter these days. That's me though. Lower income people and businesses that rely on mail would certainly have different opinions.

The kind of mail they're allowed to leave in your mailbox and not on your doorstep.

If you ever get a chance, watch the series 'From the Earth to the Moon'. It was on HBO a while ago and is now on DVD. Specifically, watch episode 10. It addresses exactly what you're talking about. Granted, robot and camera technology today is significantly better than it was in 1970, but I think the point made in that episode (people > robots for scientific observation) is still true today.

I managed to crash an ATM once (not a good feeling when you just deposited 50 big checks). When it rebooted, there was the Start menu. Before the 'ATM software' fired up I was able to easily open a command prompt and even get IE going. Then the ATM stuff went full screen and everything was hunky dory - except for my deposit.

I find it best to use part of my vehicle's VIN number when picking out my personal PIN number for use at the automated ATM machines. That way I can just read the reflection off my dash when punching the numbers into the LCD display.

It doesn't require Amazon to pay taxes. It requires NC residents to pay use taxes (which replace sales taxes) on out of state/online purchases. Those taxes are calculated and paid along with regular taxes on April 15th. They want Amazon to fork over the records so they can either 1) reconcile it to tax returns and back-bill with interest or 2) make everyone in the state afraid to lie on the Use Tax portion of the tax form.

Am I wrong (I probably am) in thinking that HTML 5 won't support DRM on said video content? I think that type of stuff (Hulu, Netflix, etc) is what's going to keep the Flashes and Silverlights of the world alive and kicking for a while.

Actually, I believe it really is 'unlimited,' as they're assuming you're not tethering and only using the phone to do your browsing. If you get a data card, or a tethering plan, then you'll see that limit imposed. There are scores of people who use their Pre's to listen to Pandora all day, and regularly go over 5 gb/month and never have a problem. Might that change in the future? Yes, but so far it's not a problem.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/4/23/

Not to mention the fact that any MBA program worth it's salt will require 3-7 years of work experience before they'll admit you.

Just get the bits out of whatever you're trying to archive and chisel the ones and zeros into stone tablets. In 25 years, dig them up, run some OCR on them and reconvert them into electrical bits rather than rock bits.