vBCms Comments
Welcome To Hunting Country
General Hunting Forums
Archery & Bowhunting
Shooting Sports
Manufacturers' Corner
Firearms
Classifieds
Not Hunting / General Chit Chat
1.) DParker - 02/03/2016
..first in the U.S. with the Zika virus. And sexually-transmitted, too. In your FACE the rest of America!!!
[URL="http://www.fox4news.com/news/83981891-story"]http://www.fox4news.com/news/83981891-story[/URL]
[URL="http://www.fox4news.com/news/83981891-story"]http://www.fox4news.com/news/83981891-story[/URL]
2.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
The question is, 'Would you rather have the Zika Virus, or Zima Fever?"
3.) bluecat - 02/03/2016
Isn't Zika what they put on Gyros? :cf:
4.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
Mmmm...Gyros....
Good catch!
Good catch!
5.) DParker - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38867]The question is, 'Would you rather have the Zika Virus, or Zima Fever?"[/QUOTE]
I know I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
I know I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
6.) Wild Bob - 02/03/2016
You guys are going to be into us 'northern local' areas before its all over...too cold for those nasty bastards up here!
7.) DParker - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38874]You guys are going to be into us 'northern local' areas before its all over...too cold for those nasty bastards up here![/QUOTE]
Still, you guys need to do your part and start contracting some exotic bugs. We're tired of having to do all the heavy lifting down here.
Still, you guys need to do your part and start contracting some exotic bugs. We're tired of having to do all the heavy lifting down here.
8.) Wild Bob - 02/03/2016
We're all just boring Norwegians and Germans up here...we eat Lutefisk, brats and drink beer...what do you expect us to do?? You guys are doing a fine job. :-)
9.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
I have a little German in me...struggling to get out...LOL...That's a [I]Mein Kampf[/I] reference...But I'm not a Nazi...Just want to say that for the record, LOL...[I]Alles klar[/I]?
Also, I've never had lutefisk...I think they gave me a shot for that when I was a little kid.
Also, I've never had lutefisk...I think they gave me a shot for that when I was a little kid.
10.) DParker - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38877]We're all just boring Norwegians and Germans up here...[/QUOTE]
We need to get you guys some hobbies then. Norwegians and Germans have a nasty habit of invading neighboring lands when they get bored.
We need to get you guys some hobbies then. Norwegians and Germans have a nasty habit of invading neighboring lands when they get bored.
11.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
Lack of trees on the Plains means they can't march in the shade, so we have that going for us...LOL
:wink
:wink
12.) Wild Bob - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=DParker;38882]We need to get you guys some hobbies then. Norwegians and Germans have a nasty habit of invading neighboring lands when they get bored.[/QUOTE]
:laugh:
May be that's why North Dakotans don't like us...:cf:
:laugh:
May be that's why North Dakotans don't like us...:cf:
13.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38883]Lack of trees on the Plains means they can't march in the shade, so we have that going for us...LOL
:wink[/QUOTE]
Or maybe not. I might not have thought that one through completely...Look out East Coast!
:wink[/QUOTE]
Or maybe not. I might not have thought that one through completely...Look out East Coast!
14.) DParker - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38887]Or maybe not. I might not have thought that one through completely...Look out East Coast![/QUOTE]
You're too late.
You're too late.
15.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
Ha! Good catch!
You didn't happen to see that, did you? I wondered how good it was.
They did a lot of good promotion for it, but I never figured out how you're supposed to watch it, LOL.
Streaming, schmeaming...Who nos these things? :wink
You didn't happen to see that, did you? I wondered how good it was.
They did a lot of good promotion for it, but I never figured out how you're supposed to watch it, LOL.
Streaming, schmeaming...Who nos these things? :wink
16.) DParker - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38891]Ha! Good catch!
You didn't happen to see that, did you? I wondered how good it was.[/quote]
I, and a lot of other folks think it's a pretty good show. Very dark, but well-written and acted. Loosely based on the classic Philip K. Dick short novel of the same name.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38891]They did a lot of good promotion for it, but I never figured out how you're supposed to watch it, LOL.
Streaming, schmeming...Who nos these things? :wink[/QUOTE]
For starters, you need Amazon streaming video....which you can either get on a pay-per-view basis with a regular Amazon account and the streaming app (on your PC, phone, tablet...or a streaming media player connected to your TV, like Roku, FireStick, etc), or for free with a Prime membership.
You didn't happen to see that, did you? I wondered how good it was.[/quote]
I, and a lot of other folks think it's a pretty good show. Very dark, but well-written and acted. Loosely based on the classic Philip K. Dick short novel of the same name.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38891]They did a lot of good promotion for it, but I never figured out how you're supposed to watch it, LOL.
Streaming, schmeming...Who nos these things? :wink[/QUOTE]
For starters, you need Amazon streaming video....which you can either get on a pay-per-view basis with a regular Amazon account and the streaming app (on your PC, phone, tablet...or a streaming media player connected to your TV, like Roku, FireStick, etc), or for free with a Prime membership.
17.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
Thanks! It's probably past time I looked into one of those. :wink
18.) Wild Bob - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38895]Thanks! It's probably past time I looked into one of those. :wink[/QUOTE]
You can't get any of those on your old Philco Swampy...
You can't get any of those on your old Philco Swampy...
19.) DParker - 02/03/2016
As streaming media devices go, the Roku seems like the hot ticket. I got my daughter and SIL the [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Roku-Streaming-Player-4230R-Search/dp/B00UJ3IULO/ref=sr_1_1?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1454530678&sr=1-1&keywords=roku+3"]Roku 3[/URL] for Christmas and they love it.
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38897]You can't get any of those on your old Philco Swampy...[/QUOTE]
:grin:
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38897]You can't get any of those on your old Philco Swampy...[/QUOTE]
:grin:
20.) Swamp Fox - 02/03/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38897]You can't get any of those on your old Philco Swampy...[/QUOTE]
Not even if I turn it up to 11?
That's not a radio...
[U]That's[/U] a radio!
Not even if I turn it up to 11?
That's not a radio...
[U]That's[/U] a radio!
21.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
Slow news day...
Many people have asked me how I found that first picture.
I just typed in "hipster doofus" and up it popped...
Many people have asked me how I found that first picture.
I just typed in "hipster doofus" and up it popped...
22.) DParker - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38909]Slow news day...
Many people have asked me how I found that first picture.
I just typed in "hipster doofus" and up it popped...[/QUOTE]
You can find many similar images by searching on "Pabst Blue Ribbon".
Many people have asked me how I found that first picture.
I just typed in "hipster doofus" and up it popped...[/QUOTE]
You can find many similar images by searching on "Pabst Blue Ribbon".
23.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
LOL...
I wouldn't be surprised if somebody's getting college credit or an advanced degree studying the "intersection" of PBR and Hipsterhood.
I wouldn't be surprised if somebody's getting college credit or an advanced degree studying the "intersection" of PBR and Hipsterhood.
24.) Wild Bob - 02/04/2016
Here's some news for you...
Everyone screams Health Care, Health Care. The problem is in all areas of the health care system...from guys like this loser (Shkreli) to hospitals over charging for services and supplies and many other areas in the industry.
I attended a very interesting seminar a couple of months ago about health care costs. The guest speaker was a guy named Adam Russo (interesting guy, look him and his company 'Phia Group' up sometime if you are bored and chewing your nails looking for something to do...)
As consumers, all everyone is primarily interested in is: "How much is my deductible?" So the brunt of the whole cost gets passed; passed on to the insurance provider, then the insurance broker, the employer, the government...blah, blah, blah. The point is so many entities have a piece of that pie that it is ridiculous, and no one keeps tabs on the basic flat out - actual cost of what is being provided to the consumer.
Example: Wild Bob does something stupid and ends up in the local hospital. It's bad, and the local doctor determines that his patient needs to be treated in Billings at the big regional hospital with lots of specialists...so, we put WB on the local Life Flight to Billings (as commonly gets done here in my community). All fine and good, WB gets treated, goes home a week or two later to live happily ever after. Then the bills roll in... WB, is sweating his deductible...pays it, crosses his fingers and gets back to work. The remainder of the bills goes on to his Insurance Provider. They take care of their piece of the pie, and on and on...
Let me ask you this: You ever get an itemized bill for any health care? Do YOU ever get to see exactly what hospital X charged you and your plan for that bedpan or dressings, or IVS...of course not. (How many of us would go to a mechanic if he fixed your car and just gave you a lump sum invoice for the work??) And no one questions this...Not the consumer, not the provider, not anyone in the whole food-chain, they’re just worried about covering their portion of the costs. WB's little flight to Billings: $21,000.00 invoiced....!?!?! Did it really cost 21k for a pilot, a nurse, the small 15 year old plane and fuel for three hours total flight time? Ever heard of anyone questioning that service and then negotiating it down to a more realistic cost? Reality based on actual costs (according to settlements that Mr. Russo has negotiated: the flight was actually more along the lines of 1/3 to 1/2 of what the billing for it was...) and that was just the flight! The whole system is out of whack IMHO.
OK, I'll shut up now...
Everyone screams Health Care, Health Care. The problem is in all areas of the health care system...from guys like this loser (Shkreli) to hospitals over charging for services and supplies and many other areas in the industry.
I attended a very interesting seminar a couple of months ago about health care costs. The guest speaker was a guy named Adam Russo (interesting guy, look him and his company 'Phia Group' up sometime if you are bored and chewing your nails looking for something to do...)
As consumers, all everyone is primarily interested in is: "How much is my deductible?" So the brunt of the whole cost gets passed; passed on to the insurance provider, then the insurance broker, the employer, the government...blah, blah, blah. The point is so many entities have a piece of that pie that it is ridiculous, and no one keeps tabs on the basic flat out - actual cost of what is being provided to the consumer.
Example: Wild Bob does something stupid and ends up in the local hospital. It's bad, and the local doctor determines that his patient needs to be treated in Billings at the big regional hospital with lots of specialists...so, we put WB on the local Life Flight to Billings (as commonly gets done here in my community). All fine and good, WB gets treated, goes home a week or two later to live happily ever after. Then the bills roll in... WB, is sweating his deductible...pays it, crosses his fingers and gets back to work. The remainder of the bills goes on to his Insurance Provider. They take care of their piece of the pie, and on and on...
Let me ask you this: You ever get an itemized bill for any health care? Do YOU ever get to see exactly what hospital X charged you and your plan for that bedpan or dressings, or IVS...of course not. (How many of us would go to a mechanic if he fixed your car and just gave you a lump sum invoice for the work??) And no one questions this...Not the consumer, not the provider, not anyone in the whole food-chain, they’re just worried about covering their portion of the costs. WB's little flight to Billings: $21,000.00 invoiced....!?!?! Did it really cost 21k for a pilot, a nurse, the small 15 year old plane and fuel for three hours total flight time? Ever heard of anyone questioning that service and then negotiating it down to a more realistic cost? Reality based on actual costs (according to settlements that Mr. Russo has negotiated: the flight was actually more along the lines of 1/3 to 1/2 of what the billing for it was...) and that was just the flight! The whole system is out of whack IMHO.
OK, I'll shut up now...
25.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
So, I have a question or three about streaming media players:
If you watch on your portable devices, I assume you need a pretty big data plan?
If you were watching only on TV, do you need a data plan or just an internet connection and the appropriate modem, etc.? If your home internet connection were fast enough, are there any other considerations?
I keep hearing that streaming media is going to kill the cable/satellite TV model. On the other hand, it's my understanding that you "pretty much" still need a cable or satellite provider to access streaming media. Are there ways to cut the traditional cable and satellite providers out of the equation (perhaps in exchange for much-reduced programming) and if so, is this a matter of cutting consumer cost, eliminating provider monopoly, or of expanding entertainment choice---or maybe all three in some combination?
Finally (maybe), are people realistically able to cut their costs by streaming, assuming you need some type of provider and/or some type of data plan to access programming?
If you watch on your portable devices, I assume you need a pretty big data plan?
If you were watching only on TV, do you need a data plan or just an internet connection and the appropriate modem, etc.? If your home internet connection were fast enough, are there any other considerations?
I keep hearing that streaming media is going to kill the cable/satellite TV model. On the other hand, it's my understanding that you "pretty much" still need a cable or satellite provider to access streaming media. Are there ways to cut the traditional cable and satellite providers out of the equation (perhaps in exchange for much-reduced programming) and if so, is this a matter of cutting consumer cost, eliminating provider monopoly, or of expanding entertainment choice---or maybe all three in some combination?
Finally (maybe), are people realistically able to cut their costs by streaming, assuming you need some type of provider and/or some type of data plan to access programming?
26.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38914]
[...]
Let me ask you this: You ever get an itemized bill for any health care? Do YOU ever get to see exactly what hospital X charged you and your plan for that bedpan or dressings, or IVS...of course not. (How many of us would go to a mechanic if he fixed your car and just gave you a lump sum invoice for the work??) And no one questions this...Not the consumer, not the provider, not anyone in the whole food-chain, they’re just worried about covering their portion of the costs...[/QUOTE]
Wild Bob---
People flip out about their itemized summaries all the time if there's a chance they have to come out of pocket for any of it. If there isn't that chance, not so much.
The common excuse for wildly inflated charges is that you (meaning your insurance company) is laying out the cash in sufficient truckloads to make up for the uninsured who require care, along with the idea that people are not careful shoppers for care (when that's even possible) when "insurance will cover it."
What you hear a little less about is the high compensation required by doctors and provider groups (hospitals, etc.) for a variety of reasons, ranging from self-interest to shrinking competition.
Cost of medication is another problem area, especially with proprietary and relatively new drugs. Everything above applies, and then add on top the effects of monopoly and the requirement to recoup the cost of development and it can be a nightmare.
Finally, yes, bills are negotiated down often enough that you can't call it rare.
Here's one of my favorite stories. Outdoorsmen be aware of this one:
[url]http://time.com/2897/north-carolina-hospital-bill-snake-bite/[/url]
[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/09/the-crazy-reason-it-costs-14000-to-treat-a-snakebite-with-14-medicine/[/url]
[url]https://jonathanturley.org/2014/01/29/north-carolina-hospital-treats-man-with-snakebite-serum-found-online-for-750-charges-him-89227-for-18-hour-stay/[/url]
[...]
Let me ask you this: You ever get an itemized bill for any health care? Do YOU ever get to see exactly what hospital X charged you and your plan for that bedpan or dressings, or IVS...of course not. (How many of us would go to a mechanic if he fixed your car and just gave you a lump sum invoice for the work??) And no one questions this...Not the consumer, not the provider, not anyone in the whole food-chain, they’re just worried about covering their portion of the costs...[/QUOTE]
Wild Bob---
People flip out about their itemized summaries all the time if there's a chance they have to come out of pocket for any of it. If there isn't that chance, not so much.
The common excuse for wildly inflated charges is that you (meaning your insurance company) is laying out the cash in sufficient truckloads to make up for the uninsured who require care, along with the idea that people are not careful shoppers for care (when that's even possible) when "insurance will cover it."
What you hear a little less about is the high compensation required by doctors and provider groups (hospitals, etc.) for a variety of reasons, ranging from self-interest to shrinking competition.
Cost of medication is another problem area, especially with proprietary and relatively new drugs. Everything above applies, and then add on top the effects of monopoly and the requirement to recoup the cost of development and it can be a nightmare.
Finally, yes, bills are negotiated down often enough that you can't call it rare.
Here's one of my favorite stories. Outdoorsmen be aware of this one:
[url]http://time.com/2897/north-carolina-hospital-bill-snake-bite/[/url]
[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/09/the-crazy-reason-it-costs-14000-to-treat-a-snakebite-with-14-medicine/[/url]
[url]https://jonathanturley.org/2014/01/29/north-carolina-hospital-treats-man-with-snakebite-serum-found-online-for-750-charges-him-89227-for-18-hour-stay/[/url]
27.) DParker - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]So, I have a question or three about streaming media players:[/quote]
OK. I'll address each individually.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If you watch on your portable devices, I assume you need a pretty big data plan?[/quote]
Either that, or just make sure you're doing so where someone is kind enough to be providing free WiFi. That's becoming more and more common every day. Otherwise, yeah...you're going to eat into, and probably exceed your monthly data plan pretty quickly.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If you were watching only on TV, do you need a data plan or just an internet connection and the appropriate modem, etc.?[/quote]
Watching streaming content on your TV is typically done either via apps built in to it (so-called "smart" TVs), or device that's hooked up to it for that purpose (like the Roku, AppleTV, FireTV/Stick, etc). These options use either a hard-wired LAN connection to your router (the one you get from your ISP) or a WiFi connection to that same router (this is the most common case, for obvious reasons of convenience). Technically you can stream the content through an app on your phone to your TV (if it has that capability) or other attached device with that functionality...and therefor you COULD use your cellular data plan for that. But if you have internet service in your home (or wherever your TV is) then there's obviously no reason to use your cell phone for that instead of your ISP connection.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If your home internet connection were fast enough, are there any other considerations?[/quote]
So long as you're not hosting a high-volume server or conducting other such bandwidth-intensive activity on your internet service simultaneously with your watching stuff through your TV, most contemporary ISP service is more than capable of handling streaming video content, even at hi-def levels. What speed(s) are you paying for with your ISP?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]I keep hearing that streaming media is going to kill the cable/satellite TV model.[/quote]
Probably...eventually. But it'll take a little time yet, given that high-speed internet is still not ubiquitous in all U.S. homes.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]On the other hand, it's my understanding that you "pretty much" still need a cable or satellite provider to access streaming media.[/quote]
That's not true at all. Streaming media is accessed via the internet, and unless your internet service is somehow inexorably bundled with cable/satellite service then you don't need the latter at all for streaming content. That's why you can access most all of it from PCs, your phone, tablets, etc.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]Are there ways to cut the traditional cable and satellite providers out of the equation (perhaps in exchange for much-reduced programming)[/quote]
Absolutely. Just call up your cable/satellite service and tell them to take their equipment out and go pound sand (or maybe you want to be a little more polite about it....your call.) So long as you have an ISP (Internet Service Provider) you can access streaming media (though most of it requires a subscription of some sort with the provider of that media content...like NetFlix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.) The content differential between what's offered on cable/satellite vs what's currently available via internet streaming is dramatic. Some of that matters to people like me (you can't get History and other similar channels via streaming....yet), while the vast majority of it is crap I'd never watch anyway.
For instance, I have my land-line and internet service provided via Verizon's "FiOS" (I've kept the landline because cell reception sucks in my house). It's extremely fast, reliable and not too terribly expensive. In fact they just recently boosted my internet speed from 25 Mbps (in both directions) to 75 Mbps (also in both directions)....AND lowered my monthly subscription fees by over $30. My satellite service, on the other hand, is via DirectTV. I've been pretty happy with them for over 15 years. But between the declining quality of what's generally available on cable/satellite and the fact that DTV was recently acquired by AT&T I'm strong considering dropping DTV and adding FiOS TV to my Verizon service, or simply abandoning that sort of thing altogether (though I probably won't, since having a TV service of some kind gives me better local station reception and at least SOME cable-only channels that I still like. We'll see.)
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]Finally (maybe), are people realistically able to cut their costs by streaming, assuming you need some type of provider and/or some type of data plan to access programming?[/QUOTE]
Again, all you need for streaming content is a decent modern internet connection. The advantages that cable/satellite still provide over that are:
[LIST=1]
[*]A single source for all of your content, vs. multiple subscriptions to various streaming content providers.
[*]A much wider variety of content, though the usefulness of that extra content varies significantly from customer-to-customer.
[*]Immediate access to most currently released programming. Streaming content providers give you access to series programming after their seasons have already aired on TV/cable/satellite. If you don't mind waiting a few months (at least) to watch a show, and can avoid hearing people who have already seen the shows divulge spoilers to you, that's OK. We've managed to do that with shows like [I]Breaking Bad[/I], [I]Dexter[/I], et al that we watched on NetFlix because we didn't see them when they originally aired. There are exception to this though. For instance, [I]The Man in the High Castle[/I]. Since that's an Amazon original series the only place you'll see it first is via Amazon streaming video. And then you can usually binge watch an entire season at a time if you want, because they usually release entire seasons all at once. Ditto the NetFlix original programming (like [I]Orange is the New Black[/I]). HBO also offers a streaming service subscription for their content as an alternative to cable, but I don't know whether it's current content or not.
[*]
[/LIST]
OK. I'll address each individually.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If you watch on your portable devices, I assume you need a pretty big data plan?[/quote]
Either that, or just make sure you're doing so where someone is kind enough to be providing free WiFi. That's becoming more and more common every day. Otherwise, yeah...you're going to eat into, and probably exceed your monthly data plan pretty quickly.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If you were watching only on TV, do you need a data plan or just an internet connection and the appropriate modem, etc.?[/quote]
Watching streaming content on your TV is typically done either via apps built in to it (so-called "smart" TVs), or device that's hooked up to it for that purpose (like the Roku, AppleTV, FireTV/Stick, etc). These options use either a hard-wired LAN connection to your router (the one you get from your ISP) or a WiFi connection to that same router (this is the most common case, for obvious reasons of convenience). Technically you can stream the content through an app on your phone to your TV (if it has that capability) or other attached device with that functionality...and therefor you COULD use your cellular data plan for that. But if you have internet service in your home (or wherever your TV is) then there's obviously no reason to use your cell phone for that instead of your ISP connection.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]If your home internet connection were fast enough, are there any other considerations?[/quote]
So long as you're not hosting a high-volume server or conducting other such bandwidth-intensive activity on your internet service simultaneously with your watching stuff through your TV, most contemporary ISP service is more than capable of handling streaming video content, even at hi-def levels. What speed(s) are you paying for with your ISP?
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]I keep hearing that streaming media is going to kill the cable/satellite TV model.[/quote]
Probably...eventually. But it'll take a little time yet, given that high-speed internet is still not ubiquitous in all U.S. homes.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]On the other hand, it's my understanding that you "pretty much" still need a cable or satellite provider to access streaming media.[/quote]
That's not true at all. Streaming media is accessed via the internet, and unless your internet service is somehow inexorably bundled with cable/satellite service then you don't need the latter at all for streaming content. That's why you can access most all of it from PCs, your phone, tablets, etc.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]Are there ways to cut the traditional cable and satellite providers out of the equation (perhaps in exchange for much-reduced programming)[/quote]
Absolutely. Just call up your cable/satellite service and tell them to take their equipment out and go pound sand (or maybe you want to be a little more polite about it....your call.) So long as you have an ISP (Internet Service Provider) you can access streaming media (though most of it requires a subscription of some sort with the provider of that media content...like NetFlix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.) The content differential between what's offered on cable/satellite vs what's currently available via internet streaming is dramatic. Some of that matters to people like me (you can't get History and other similar channels via streaming....yet), while the vast majority of it is crap I'd never watch anyway.
For instance, I have my land-line and internet service provided via Verizon's "FiOS" (I've kept the landline because cell reception sucks in my house). It's extremely fast, reliable and not too terribly expensive. In fact they just recently boosted my internet speed from 25 Mbps (in both directions) to 75 Mbps (also in both directions)....AND lowered my monthly subscription fees by over $30. My satellite service, on the other hand, is via DirectTV. I've been pretty happy with them for over 15 years. But between the declining quality of what's generally available on cable/satellite and the fact that DTV was recently acquired by AT&T I'm strong considering dropping DTV and adding FiOS TV to my Verizon service, or simply abandoning that sort of thing altogether (though I probably won't, since having a TV service of some kind gives me better local station reception and at least SOME cable-only channels that I still like. We'll see.)
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38915]Finally (maybe), are people realistically able to cut their costs by streaming, assuming you need some type of provider and/or some type of data plan to access programming?[/QUOTE]
Again, all you need for streaming content is a decent modern internet connection. The advantages that cable/satellite still provide over that are:
[LIST=1]
[*]A single source for all of your content, vs. multiple subscriptions to various streaming content providers.
[*]A much wider variety of content, though the usefulness of that extra content varies significantly from customer-to-customer.
[*]Immediate access to most currently released programming. Streaming content providers give you access to series programming after their seasons have already aired on TV/cable/satellite. If you don't mind waiting a few months (at least) to watch a show, and can avoid hearing people who have already seen the shows divulge spoilers to you, that's OK. We've managed to do that with shows like [I]Breaking Bad[/I], [I]Dexter[/I], et al that we watched on NetFlix because we didn't see them when they originally aired. There are exception to this though. For instance, [I]The Man in the High Castle[/I]. Since that's an Amazon original series the only place you'll see it first is via Amazon streaming video. And then you can usually binge watch an entire season at a time if you want, because they usually release entire seasons all at once. Ditto the NetFlix original programming (like [I]Orange is the New Black[/I]). HBO also offers a streaming service subscription for their content as an alternative to cable, but I don't know whether it's current content or not.
[*]
[/LIST]
28.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
That's excellent, DP.
I knew there was some reason I was on this forum, LOL.
I have TWC for internet and I'm one step down from the top speed, if memory serves. I was told that was sufficient for what I currently do (no streaming, gaming, etc.) but it often seems like either TWC internet sucks or I could stand to juice my speed and stabilize my connection, or all three.
I have DirecTV, as you know (Hello, Genie! :wink) and have a bug up my butt about AT&T as well. They used to be superior back in the day, but you should hear the story (short version, anyway) of what they did to me on my business long distance account 10+ years ago. I do think customer service at DTV has taken a bit of a tumble since AT&T stuck its nose in.
I looked into FiOS (ViOS?) very briefly this past summer (can't say much info stayed in my head) but it wasn't available here at that time. I am pretty happy with Verizon except for the fact that if I didn't have an old grandfathered Altell plan that they still support, my cell and data service from them would cost me much more for far less.
I knew there was some reason I was on this forum, LOL.
I have TWC for internet and I'm one step down from the top speed, if memory serves. I was told that was sufficient for what I currently do (no streaming, gaming, etc.) but it often seems like either TWC internet sucks or I could stand to juice my speed and stabilize my connection, or all three.
I have DirecTV, as you know (Hello, Genie! :wink) and have a bug up my butt about AT&T as well. They used to be superior back in the day, but you should hear the story (short version, anyway) of what they did to me on my business long distance account 10+ years ago. I do think customer service at DTV has taken a bit of a tumble since AT&T stuck its nose in.
I looked into FiOS (ViOS?) very briefly this past summer (can't say much info stayed in my head) but it wasn't available here at that time. I am pretty happy with Verizon except for the fact that if I didn't have an old grandfathered Altell plan that they still support, my cell and data service from them would cost me much more for far less.
29.) DParker - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38918]I knew there was some reason I was on this forum, LOL.[/quote]
It sure as hell isn't for the hot babes.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38918]I have TWC for internet and I'm one step down from the top speed, if memory serves. I was told that was sufficient for what I currently do (no streaming, gaming, etc.) but it often seems like either TWC internet sucks or I could stand to juice my speed and stabilize my connection, or all three.[/quote]
From everything I've ever heard and or read, "TWC" and "sucks" are synonyms. Like any other widely-used product/service I've heard some grumbling about Verizon as well, but I've been a customer of theirs for 21 years...with about 10 of that being on the FiOS service...and I can count the issues I've had with them (all technical) on one hand. And what few problem I've experience were quickly and cheerfully corrected with a call to customer support.
It sure as hell isn't for the hot babes.
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38918]I have TWC for internet and I'm one step down from the top speed, if memory serves. I was told that was sufficient for what I currently do (no streaming, gaming, etc.) but it often seems like either TWC internet sucks or I could stand to juice my speed and stabilize my connection, or all three.[/quote]
From everything I've ever heard and or read, "TWC" and "sucks" are synonyms. Like any other widely-used product/service I've heard some grumbling about Verizon as well, but I've been a customer of theirs for 21 years...with about 10 of that being on the FiOS service...and I can count the issues I've had with them (all technical) on one hand. And what few problem I've experience were quickly and cheerfully corrected with a call to customer support.
30.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
Oh, and as far as "needing" a cable or satellite provider: I get your point. I'd heard somewhere, though, that somewhere in the mix there are/could be bottlenecks where your c-or-s provider requires you to pay them to run content through.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.
31.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38920]Oh, and as far as "needing" a cable or satellite provider: I get your point. I'd heard somewhere, though, that somewhere in the mix there are/could be bottlenecks where your c-or-s provider requires you to pay them to run content through.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.[/QUOTE]
Well, the HBO example doesn't make sense. You pay DTV for some type of streaming content that they don't otherwise usually offer in their packages or as premium channels, was the point I'd read somewhere.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.[/QUOTE]
Well, the HBO example doesn't make sense. You pay DTV for some type of streaming content that they don't otherwise usually offer in their packages or as premium channels, was the point I'd read somewhere.
32.) DParker - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38920]Oh, and as far as "needing" a cable or satellite provider: I get your point. I'd heard somewhere, though, that somewhere in the mix there are/could be bottlenecks where your c-or-s provider requires you to pay them to run content through.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure that I follow....but your cable/satellite service has no bearing at all on internet-based streaming content. If you have a subscription with NetFlix, Amazon, Hulu or any of the other streaming services, you get your content directly from them via your internet connection. Even in the case of HBO, which you normally think of as a cable/satellite-access station....they also provide a direct streaming service that is separate and apart from their dealings with cable/satellite providers. In fact, even if you got cable TV service from TWC in addition to the internet service there's no connection between the two things, other than the fact that electrical signals that implement them come into your home using the same coax cable.
Think of it this way: With a streaming content service you can watch programming on any computing devices that can run the required apps and that has a sufficient internet data connection, whether you also have cable/satellite service from anyone or not.
Now...and this is where it might get a little confusing....some cable/satellite services (like DirecTV) ALSO offer up the programming that they carry via a streaming service that you can access on computing devices. But that only applies to the programming for the channels that they already carry into your home via cable/satellite/fiber optic line. It's just that they're offering you an additional means of accessing it (across the internet). But that has nothing to do with the other services I've mentioned.
So, maybe you pay DTV to access HBO on your TV, or something like that, vs. being able to buy content direct from Amazon or Netflix, etc.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure that I follow....but your cable/satellite service has no bearing at all on internet-based streaming content. If you have a subscription with NetFlix, Amazon, Hulu or any of the other streaming services, you get your content directly from them via your internet connection. Even in the case of HBO, which you normally think of as a cable/satellite-access station....they also provide a direct streaming service that is separate and apart from their dealings with cable/satellite providers. In fact, even if you got cable TV service from TWC in addition to the internet service there's no connection between the two things, other than the fact that electrical signals that implement them come into your home using the same coax cable.
Think of it this way: With a streaming content service you can watch programming on any computing devices that can run the required apps and that has a sufficient internet data connection, whether you also have cable/satellite service from anyone or not.
Now...and this is where it might get a little confusing....some cable/satellite services (like DirecTV) ALSO offer up the programming that they carry via a streaming service that you can access on computing devices. But that only applies to the programming for the channels that they already carry into your home via cable/satellite/fiber optic line. It's just that they're offering you an additional means of accessing it (across the internet). But that has nothing to do with the other services I've mentioned.
33.) Wild Bob - 02/04/2016
Swampy - perhaps you are involeved in the health care industry more than I am, as a consumer...But I can tell you honestly, after being enrolled in 1 plan in the northeast region, 3 different plans in the Southeast regoin of the country, and 2 different plans here in the upper northwest (not to mention that my wife has also been enrolled in just as many plans as me...I have yet to [U]ever [/U]recieve an itemized invoice (items with attached costs).
Now, most recently for my back surgury last year, I got what I guess someone might call an itemized bill...as it acutally did list out items (but surprise surpirise...no direct costs attached, just that one big lump sum number at the bottom.
The system is just flat out broken, as we all know. I guess how we all choose to understand or define how and why its broken is, up to each and everyone of us and our experiences.
When I had my back surgery I questioned my carrier about negoitating invoices and was told in pleaseant terms to mind my business and just take care of my end of the bill (2x -once by the person that took my call and and then again by her supervisor). If there is any negotiating goin on...its not coming back to the consumer, in my experience. But what do I know? I don't know this stuff anyway.
Now, most recently for my back surgury last year, I got what I guess someone might call an itemized bill...as it acutally did list out items (but surprise surpirise...no direct costs attached, just that one big lump sum number at the bottom.
The system is just flat out broken, as we all know. I guess how we all choose to understand or define how and why its broken is, up to each and everyone of us and our experiences.
When I had my back surgery I questioned my carrier about negoitating invoices and was told in pleaseant terms to mind my business and just take care of my end of the bill (2x -once by the person that took my call and and then again by her supervisor). If there is any negotiating goin on...its not coming back to the consumer, in my experience. But what do I know? I don't know this stuff anyway.
34.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
DP, what you say may be what was intended in the article I read, but it either wasn't made clear or I misinterpreted.
I get what you're saying.
If I come across the article or similar again, I'll serve it up for discussion.
I get what you're saying.
If I come across the article or similar again, I'll serve it up for discussion.
35.) DParker - 02/04/2016
BTW...to make matters worse...your cable/satellite box is, in reality, just a computer (usually running some customized variant of Linux and the company's service-specific applications) with some signal-decoding and video-driving hardware added in.
36.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Wild Bob;38923]Swampy - perhaps you are involeved in the health care industry more than I am, as a consumer...But I can tell you honestly, after being enrolled in 1 plan in the northeast region, 3 different plans in the Southeast regoin of the country, and 2 different plans here in the upper northwest (not to mention that my wife has also been enrolled in just as many plans as me...I have yet to [U]ever [/U]recieve an itemized invoice (items with attached costs).
Now, most recently for my back surgury last year, I got what I guess someone might call an itemized bill...as it acutally did list out items (but surprise surpirise...no direct costs attached, just that one big lump sum number at the bottom.
The system is just flat out broken, as we all know. I guess how we all choose to understand or define how and why its broken is, up to each and everyone of us and our experiences.
When I had my back surgery I questioned my carrier about negoitating invoices and was told in pleaseant terms to mind my business and just take care of my end of the bill (2x -once by the person that took my call and and then again by her supervisor). If there is any negotiating goin on...its not coming back to the consumer, in my experience. But what do I know? I don't know this stuff anyway.[/QUOTE]
WB--
You should be able to get an itemized bill from your health care provider, and your statement post-claim from your insurer should also help with your question. Patients should check these for accuracy and acceptability, and be aware of problems with "medical codes."
I have only skimmed this article for glaring errors, so I'm not vouching for it, but it seems pretty helpful to me:
[url]http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/09/08/6-questions-you-should-ask-before-paying-any-medical-bill[/url]
I have almost zero to do with the health care industry anymore the way we're talking about it. However, selling and servicing individual and group health insurance plans ("major medical") was a small part of my business back in ancient history. Basically it was a client courtesy which I handled myself for a while until regulation essentially destroyed the individual plans marketplace, after which I referred almost all of my business whether individual or group to a couple of specialists. As the "small group" market began to take a similar beating (this was long before Obamacare put the nails in the coffin) my involvement with major-medical insurance withered to near nothing.
It used to be that your agent or broker could go to bat for you at claims time (I certainly did, and know my specialists did) especially if supported by a good insurer with staff concerned about claims management, but I expect that may be more difficult these days.
Now, most recently for my back surgury last year, I got what I guess someone might call an itemized bill...as it acutally did list out items (but surprise surpirise...no direct costs attached, just that one big lump sum number at the bottom.
The system is just flat out broken, as we all know. I guess how we all choose to understand or define how and why its broken is, up to each and everyone of us and our experiences.
When I had my back surgery I questioned my carrier about negoitating invoices and was told in pleaseant terms to mind my business and just take care of my end of the bill (2x -once by the person that took my call and and then again by her supervisor). If there is any negotiating goin on...its not coming back to the consumer, in my experience. But what do I know? I don't know this stuff anyway.[/QUOTE]
WB--
You should be able to get an itemized bill from your health care provider, and your statement post-claim from your insurer should also help with your question. Patients should check these for accuracy and acceptability, and be aware of problems with "medical codes."
I have only skimmed this article for glaring errors, so I'm not vouching for it, but it seems pretty helpful to me:
[url]http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/09/08/6-questions-you-should-ask-before-paying-any-medical-bill[/url]
I have almost zero to do with the health care industry anymore the way we're talking about it. However, selling and servicing individual and group health insurance plans ("major medical") was a small part of my business back in ancient history. Basically it was a client courtesy which I handled myself for a while until regulation essentially destroyed the individual plans marketplace, after which I referred almost all of my business whether individual or group to a couple of specialists. As the "small group" market began to take a similar beating (this was long before Obamacare put the nails in the coffin) my involvement with major-medical insurance withered to near nothing.
It used to be that your agent or broker could go to bat for you at claims time (I certainly did, and know my specialists did) especially if supported by a good insurer with staff concerned about claims management, but I expect that may be more difficult these days.
37.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=DParker;38926]BTW...to make matters worse...your cable/satellite box is, in reality, just a computer (usually running some customized variant of Linux and the company's service-specific applications) with some signal-decoding and video-driving hardware added in.[/QUOTE]
That IS disturbing!
(...To someone like me. :wink)
:shocked:
That IS disturbing!
(...To someone like me. :wink)
:shocked:
38.) Swamp Fox - 02/04/2016
Fortunately, this article includes a 9-point plan for world domination by computers and robots, so we can fight it...or something...LOL
[I]"World domination by an artificially brilliant meta-mind sounds scary, I know — but trust me, it won’t be.
Because the best part is: I’d drag humanity to the brink of extinction in a way that allowed humans to believe it was all their idea."
[/I]
:pop:
[url]http://www.startribune.com/how-the-machines-will-take-over/304830181/[/url]
[I]"World domination by an artificially brilliant meta-mind sounds scary, I know — but trust me, it won’t be.
Because the best part is: I’d drag humanity to the brink of extinction in a way that allowed humans to believe it was all their idea."
[/I]
:pop:
[url]http://www.startribune.com/how-the-machines-will-take-over/304830181/[/url]
39.) DParker - 02/04/2016
[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;38929]Fortunately, this article includes a 9-point plan for world domination by computers and robots, so we can fight it...or something...LOL
[I]"World domination by an artificially brilliant meta-mind sounds scary, I know — but trust me, it won’t be.
Because the best part is: I’d drag humanity to the brink of extinction in a way that allowed humans to believe it was all their idea."
[/I]
:pop:
[url]http://www.startribune.com/how-the-machines-will-take-over/304830181/[/url][/QUOTE]
Sure...that's just what these two want you to believe....
[I]"World domination by an artificially brilliant meta-mind sounds scary, I know — but trust me, it won’t be.
Because the best part is: I’d drag humanity to the brink of extinction in a way that allowed humans to believe it was all their idea."
[/I]
:pop:
[url]http://www.startribune.com/how-the-machines-will-take-over/304830181/[/url][/QUOTE]
Sure...that's just what these two want you to believe....