Comcast recently increased broadband speeds in the Twin Cities area. Unfortunately, my trusty but aging router can’t quite keep up with the faster throughput. I’ll have to upgrade to a new router to fully enjoy my 50mbps connection (and for someone who remembers dial-up speeds, this seems almost comically fast). Routers can be notoriously flaky, so I’m not in a hurry to replace my existing model with something less reliable. This may be one upgrade that I can resist for at least a while.
In the wake of today’s oral arguments on the Prop 8 case, it may be a good time to remind everyone that it’s a waste of time to predict how the Court will rule on a high-profile issue. Around this time last year, pundits were writing the eulogy for the Affordable Care Act. And we all know how that turned out. Keep that in mind over the next few months as various “authorities” claim to have the inside scoop on how the Court will rule. They don’t.
Daft Punk, the Unofficial House Band of The 19th Floor, releases their next album–Random Access Memories–on May 21st. The band has already released a couple 15-second music clips (one of which is quite effective as a loop) and it sounds like a promising throwback to the brilliant soundscapes of Discovery. That album was a perfect blend of old-fashioned romanticism and neon-drenched futurism, embodying everything I love about electronic music. Daft Punk hasn’t released anything nearly as good in over a decade, although the Tron soundtrack had a few interesting moments. I’m hopeful enough for the new album that I’ve already pre-ordered it, which is a bit silly in this age of instant availability. But I think I can spare some irrational exuberance for a band that has provided the soundtrack for so many of my daydreams.
While cord-cutting (dropping cable television in favor of streaming video over the Internet) is still a fringe phenomenon, the Internet loves to speculate about about if and when HBO will offer a broadband-only subscription. Until recently, network executives dismissed the idea, saying that they were happy with their current business model. But this week, they hinted that HBO could eventually be a surcharge on your Internet bill instead of your cable bill. Possibly. Maybe. In most cases, cable and Internet providers are the same entity, so HBO could probably renegotiate existing contracts.
HBO executives are certainly aware that most networks have digital offerings and that the market is inexorably shifting to on-line distribution models, which makes it more likely than not that we’ll see broadband-only HBO subscriptions in the next couple years. I’d certainly sign up for one, assuming that I can still watch the sexposition on Game of Thrones in all of its sweaty high-definition glory.
Tonight got away from me. More tomorrow.
Governor Dayton signed legislation today creating a health insurance exchange for Minnesota. The Legislature managed to get the bill on Dayton’s desk in a little over two months, which is a little like making the Kessel run in 12 parsecs. Much work remains to be done to get MNsure (the official name of the exchange) up and running, but people should be able to start comparing insurance plans beginning in October. Minnesota is taking a chance in running its own exchange rather than letting the federal government administer it. If the launch is bumpy, Republicans are sure to be chanting variations of “I told you so!” in unison. I remain hopeful that any kinks will be will be worked out quickly and Minnesotans will soon have access to better coverage at more affordable prices.
After the election, Republicans vowed to think long and hard about why they lost the election. All that soul-searching culminated in a report released yesterday that attempts to explain how it all went so wrong in November. It’s admirably forthright in some of its admissions: the GOP is terrible at interacting with anyone who isn’t a white male, its perceived homophobia scares away voters, and it is too closely aligned with the wealthy elite. But the report stops short of making any substantive policy recommendations. I suspect that party leaders understand that some moderation is necessary to remain competitive, but they haven’t summoned the courage to stand up to the true believers who are willing to follow their principles into political oblivion.
The Republicans could still get lucky. External events could still push the country to the right without Republicans having to examine themselves in the mirror. I’m just not sure wishful thinking is a viable strategy for winning elections.
Remember all those YouTube videos claiming that the September 11th attacks were a government conspiracy? The video below applies the same “truther” sensibility to the destruction of the first Death Star. It employs the now-familiar technique of posing loaded questions and disguising inference as fact to suggest that Darth Vader facilitated Luke’s destruction of the battlestation. It’s funny and clever enough that I’m almost willing to overlook the narrator’s mangling of “Alderaan”. Almost.
Here’s the video:
Enjoy the weekend. I’m going to try to stay out of the hospital and indulge in some well-earned loafing.
The newest addition to my gadget wish list is a Roku 3 streaming box. My TiVo is still one of my favorite toys, but its interface is beginning to show its age (particularly when using Netflix). It also can’t access services I’d like to use such as HBO GO and Amazon Prime. I may wait to see if TiVo will release a compelling new product that can woo me with its shininess. Then again, $99 isn’t a huge investment and I can always give it away easily enough.
I’m still tempted to completely cut the cord, but cable is still handy for football and content that isn’t available on-line yet. Plus, I gots to have my Game of Thrones.