key right there is you said "memorize." that's what is wrong, right there. when faced with non-standard notation we should be able to just figure it out.

They problem isn't that people didn't know what ( ) means, it's that they can't infer it. Abstract thought is no longer taught very well.

Some of us avoid trailers.

/. says "Spoiler-free" First line of article says "spoiler-light." I'm glad they said that so I could stop reading and save myself the blind rage I would have been in.

It's called the trickle down effect. When cars were first made they were toys for the wealthy. Now every schmo thinks they are entitled to own 4 wheels and an engine. It doesn't matter how much electric cars cost, if they are made the technology will eventually become common enough for everyone to have it.

if I had mod points I would give them all to you testify!

There is no legislation at the state level. Not much anyway. Some states allow state-wide franchise rights for cable companies.. Texas is the only one I know of off the top of my head. Mostly it's all done at the municipal level. Cable companies have franchise rights with counties or cities. The reason Comcast has the big cities in your area is because they could afford to deal with those cities. Cable companies are in an odd position. They have to lay all the infrastructure and give it to the local government. It's what local government requires as the cost of doing business for the cable ops. Then the city sets a ceiling on prices and requirements. If a city wanted they could require the cable company to charge $5 a month for basic + HBO. Obviously the cable company could just say screw you, we're out.

I remember people saying that about 15GB drives. And yes... I'm sure other slashdotters recall the same issue at smaller drive sizes.