- I can't tell you how much I hate most big businesses. Especially those with monopolies or near-monopolies. Like Microsoft, Verizon, Universal Music, Cox cable.
These companies routinely ass-rape their customers, simply because they can. If Verizon is the land-line telephone provider in your area, where you gonna go? Oh, sure, you can get a wireless phone or an internet phone (you might be forced to get Verizon high-speed access in order to get an internet phone), but you can't get another land-line phone.
Many of these companies have become so used to people being forced to give them money, that they have completely lost the ability to compete. As in, provide better service or innovation. It is completely beyond them. Their response to customer dissatisfaction is advertising and lobbying. If they can't get paid the way they used to, they go on TV and relentlessly lie about how wonderful they are. If that doesn't work, and they see customers using technology to avoid them, they go to congress and try to get laws passed to restrict competition.
Why in god's name would I pay $50/mo in order to watch fucking commercials from Fox on the internet? This is the beauty, I don't have to depend on Fox and Fox's insane need to get compensated for every goddamned pixel that comes out of their ass.
Jesus!
Of course, youtube is fooling around with advertising, but, you know what? If that advertising gets annoying enough, people will be gone off to some other choice.
(oops. Most of the links are for last year's fire. Silly me)
6 comments:
Viva you Lavi -
I'm opposed to monopolistic ass-raping as much as the next guy, but consider that your local cable, phone, and electric companies are granted their monopoly status by *your* elected representatives. Municipal monopoly franchises are *created* by the city council in response to pay offs, excuse me, planning decisions to benefit the majority of the populace.
As soon as the regional control is lifted you can get competition - better content and perhaps fewer commercials.
You might even get film of this years' fires.
-dm
LOV'N EL LAVI
The Cox suckers in Tucson have my poo all up & down THIER Cable.
I fired them for phone service,but thier the only high speed & T.V.provider I'm allowed to wrap my lips around.
That being said , the guy on his roof in Malibu probably DOES have access to a chopper and didn't use it. This vidio sucks.
The mind numbingly boring process of figuring out who will do the best job on your CORPORATION COMMISSION is the key. It is purposely convaluted.
Bastiches!
Dude? What the fuck are you thinking?
I have Embarq and yes they suck but they suck a whole lot less than Cockx.
$104 a month for very basic land line, high speed dsl internet and dish network with all the channels but premium subscription channels.
I could cut back on the TV selection but I wanted all the national geographic, science, cartoon, discovery, learning etc.
Why the fuck you paying so much to take Cocks?
Adding something I shold have included in my prievious post; It is physically & logistically not ot mention aesthetically moronic to have 2-3-4 companies running phone/cable/power/gas/water lines to provide "competition". Watch em' like a hawk!
My cheap-ass room in Wilson AZ. doesn't have cable, Bastiches. Steeling wi-fi from nearby Holiday-inn.
Scouting for elk tommorrow,Haaa HaaHAAAAA
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!
As far as regulation (and overlapping providers) goes, I'm putting my hopes on the emergence of a wireless mesh, where every device that is capable of it (and at the owner's discretion), will act as a transponder and electronic communication, except in some rare instances will be, efffectively, free.
I don't hold out much hope for the various governments to ever get off the lobbyist teat long enough to do something as radical as opening the marketplace to true competition. So far everything good that's happened seems to be either the result of new technology, or favorable court rulings.
--
I could have TV and high-speed for $99 from Cochs. The high-speed is 8Mb. down, and I pay $52/mo for it. For another $40, they'll throw in 70 channels of tv.
Embarq (god if that isn't a stupid, fucked-up name. Sprint wasn't exactly masterful, but Embarq? Sounds like the medical term for an impacted wooden dildo) offers 5Mb down for $54.95. If they were to throw in basic phone at that price, I'd switch.
--
And yes, the video is lame. But the point is valid. The video is much better than sitting through stupid-ass commercials in a crappy web feed. If I hadn't lost interest (damn ADD) I could have probably found four more videos.
There's always some moron with a camera willing to film his own death from apocalypse from the comfort of his balcony. With his wife and daughter.
"Daddy, are we going to die?"
"Honey, I think your leg's on fire"
Christ.
look at this: http://tinyurl.com/yudyx4
years ago we could have had broadband over the freekin power lines -- but for your local elected leaders and their municipally granted monopolies.
Competition is good for the consumer.
And no - you don't need four different cables running to your house - just one to the main switch, where you'd select the provider of choice.
I pay $30/mo for basic high speed via Cox cable. I pay another $15/mo for Vonage. I don't own a tv.
And yes, Embarq is a dumb ass name
Post a Comment