What the heck are you smoking? I made no reference to skin tone, but rather was referring to the radical islamic ideals that segregate women. Nice way to try and change the topic though.

Will they be there, listening to Stallman, or will they be carefully segregated from their sexual superiors?

A lot of things are proposed as a matter of public safety. The TSA is all about "public safety" I suppose you sing the Star Spangled Banner as your equipment gets felt up? Salute the flag while your six year old daughter is felt up too, all in the name of "public safety?" My phone, my choice. I don't want .gov alerts on it of *any* sort, I should be free to not get them. Fairly simple. I do not understand the mindset of people who think that if you put the right buzzwords of "safety" on it, that it's ok to put up with any sort of intrusion on devices you own.

I'm opposed to be told I *must* receive these messages. I am opposed to having to opt out of having someone contact me via my two way communications device that I may not want to be contacted over. I am opposed to being compelled to pay extra for compliant hardware, and that my provider may charge me extra to recoup costs associated with participating in this program. It's the loss of *choice* I oppose. But some people prefer to have choices made for them. I prefer to make them myself. And I would prefer to *chose* what messages I get, how and from whom. I can block callers and people attempting to reach my phone that I do not wish to communicate with. I cannot block this. Personal choice, personal freedom and personal responsibility. It has nothing to do with "opposing the government" or "being opposed to receiving messages about emergency conditions." It has everything to do with being told I may have no choice in receiving certain types of messages.

Difference is, my phone is a two way communications device that can be uniquely linked to me in various ways. My TV or radio is not. To me this is akin to being told I can't stop a government agent from knocking at my door with a message for me. I don't want them knocking at my door with an important message, and I don't want them sending a message to my phone. Go away. I'm quite capable of opting in for alert services if I want. This is just a form of feel good security theater.

Wonder if there will be an easy way to disable the chip without ruining the whole phone, or perhaps in Android at least a software hack to completely turn it off. I don't want to get messages from .gov on my hardware without consenting to it.

That is the problem. Libertarianism isn't about run away corporatism, in fact corporatism is anathema to the libertarian ideology of maximum individual liberty and minimal government. Corporatism stifles the free market, which in turn stifles individual liberty and free choice. A little research beyond listening to the "I take Atlas Shrugged way too far and don't know what I'm talking about" crowd would show that.

Or if you want to delve into Sci Fi geekery, read Heinlein's stuff, or for a fun read try Michael Z. Williamson's Freehold series. That will give you a decent dose of libertarianism.

Ah, I was gonna reply with a well reasoned response disputing all your claims, but I see you are posting as AC. Typical.

I've always wanted a can of tuna that can run CP/M

Yes you can. I've even seen QR Code's sent in certain digital modes, and there is also slow scan TV, packet email, and all sorts of stuff. If it can be sent wireless, there is probably a ham radio mode for it. Oh, and ham isn't an acronym, no need to capitalize the whole word. However, totalitarian nations, usually have few, if any amateur radio operators; and they are usually heavily restricted and watched.

Well said, well said.

I'm lucky. The old timers I know think Echolink is cool, and run solid state rigs, while talking about how cool their old boat anchors were.

Morse code is an art, not a requirement, Tubes are for fun, and having echolink on my Android is cool. So far I haven't ran into any of those cranky old bastards you describe, except online at QRZ.com

I've been a ham since I was 29, and got into it after bugging myself for a few years to do it, especially since the code requirement was dropped. Local 2 meter is fun, and what is way cool is playing with 20m, and calling Alaska, and learning why the Bellingham net control couldn't hear me in Olympia, but Alaska could copy me. And stuff like that.

I finally decided that when I run into some cranky old bastard pining for the days of spark gap transmitters, and enough tubes to heat his house, that I just won't care. I've got my solid state rigs, I've got a tube AM receiver for retro cool, and I got such a killer deal on a couple of tube amps I'm gonna buy 'em.

Screw the intolerant ones. This is a hobby about technology. Keep up with it, or fall behind. Old tech is fun stuff, and I love playing with vintage gear, but I'll be damned if I'm going to be treated like a second class ham because I don't know code beyond my callsign yet, and don't have toobz in my radios. Bah. I earned my license by golly gee whiz.

Dear Reader has a website. Now he get up to date with 21st century right quick! Next upgrade website with Adobe Frash prayer, and piss off riberal Apper fanboiz who can't see furr webpage on iphone.

HTC Magic with custom 2.1 ROM. I'm still looking for a seamless bit of software, but that still won't help me if I go over 5 gigs in a month.

T Mobile does the same with their mobile wifi. I pay to tether my phone, and full speed caps at 5 gig, and slows after that. I'm quite happy with it. Now if they'd offer a plan to restore speed after 5 gigs for a price, I might even do that.

I pay for 5gb at full speed, and then anything over that at reduced speeds. Then I pay another $15 to purchase tethering, and use my HTC Magic as my home internet connection, which I believe gives me more data as well. With 500 minutes, unlimited text, unlimited data (with the first 5 gigs at full speed) and unlimited tethering and wifi sharing, fees, etc... my bill is $95 per month. I'm happy. I hope this never goes away.