Tag Archives: Control

UPDATE: Analog Hole Shredded

UPDATEx2: Well, time to eat some crow. After some more serious troubleshooting, the only remaining thing to try was to power off everything. Computer, satellite box, PVR, flatscreen and AV receiver. Switching back on after 10 full minutes brought everything fully functional again. I apologize to any I have offended, particularly DirecTV and/or Hauppage, the maker of the PVR.
At least I learned something more over the past couple days. Unfortunately, I cannot say for 100% certainty just where (in which electronics) the fault lay at the time – which is the answer I would have preferred to find. Maybe another time.

Since I have calmed down some, I have been troubleshooting as best I can for awhile this evening. I am not yet convinced if there is a hardware fault in either the receiver box component output or the component input to the HD PVR.
At that, I will be calling DirecTV tomorrow to find out if there is anything they can do to troubleshoot the receiver.

Until then, I will hold my tongue and at least apologize for my hasty post.

Frankly, I am more than just peeved about this. I promise I will keep my worst curses where no one can hear them.

For any readers here that are technically aware, the suppliers of HDTV signals have now switched off the component video connections. On Blu-Ray players and, as I found out just recently, DirecTV HD satellite receiver boxes …….

This means they have rendered my legally purchased hardware/software package (Hauppage HD PVR model 1212) useless.
$199 down the drain. Just because they can do it. Just to force us to purchase/lease their equipment. To make us pay subscription fees.

Okay, who do I send the bill to? DirecTV? Who?

Anybody else notice this happen to themselves? Speak up, please.

Promises versus Reality

We keep falling for it though. That is, not all of us, but some percentage most certainly do.

Since Barack Obama’s campaign ad, where he attacked the oil industry and promised 5 million new energy jobs, gasoline prices are now 55% more than they were since that ad.

And just to make sure you understand just how bad I feel about that you should know that my truck doesn’t use gas, but diesel. That is even more expensive now. Think what impact that has on the delivery of foodstuffs to the grocery store, and consumer goods to other stores.

Don’t forget now, BO also said, during his campaign, that “under my plan, energy costs would necessarily skyrocket.”

I just want to make sure you remember that.

Oh, and if you this is bad, just wait until oil by the barrel costs $100 and stays there (or goes even higher)!!!!

Oil at $100 and unemployment ~10 percent is bad news for Obama’s re-election hopes, of course. (It should go without saying that it is bad for America, too, and that I do not wish for economic suffering to be visited upon my fellow citizens in order to hamper the Obama administration.) But you know what’s even worse than $100 oil? $150 oil, which the CEO of Gulf says would not surprise him. There will be tremendous political pressure put on OPEC and the other producers if that happens. But why would OPEC want to bail us out? What is in it for them? Devalued U.S. dollars? If the Obama administration will not get behind a solid dollar for sound economic reasons, maybe narrow political self-interest will be enough.

Reasonable vs. Unreasonable

Okay, which is it?

Bill to ban crosshairs – Representative Bob Brady (Democrat) of Pennsylvania told The Caucus he plans to introduce a bill that would ban symbols like that now-infamous campaign crosshair map.

There is such a thing as the First Amendment you know, Bob. Can’t you at least wait awhile before opening your mouth and removing all doubt you don’t know what you are doing?

Reasonable people already know how to “tone down the rhetoric” – it’s the unreasonable people that do the things they do.

Don’t take your frustrations out on the rest of us.

Preserving History

It is important to know the facts.

Otherwise, you could be taken in – by a lie.

Isn’t that right, Daily KOS? And others.

Thank goodness for Hillbuzz.

And more. Lots more.

I Don’t Buy It

Obama Eyeing Internet ID for Americans

Since when will this government hold to what it says about our privacy?

Ubiquitous? I don’t think so. More like GPS – it will mark your computer’s location, beyond that of your ISP’s IP address.

Gotcha.

Secret Ballots for Congressional Committee Votes?

This is not right nor good. This is non-representation at the highest level.

How dare they.

Repeal Obamacare Saves Money

So says the CBO in an updated analysis. $540 Billion over 10 years.

And – wait for it – repealing the bill would also eliminate $770 billion in taxes. It’s the tax hikes in the health care law (along with the Medicare cuts) which accounts for the $230 billion in deficit reduction.

Heh heh. Yeah. Work it, Congress. 236-181.

Letter to DOJ

Posted at 1:46 PM ET, 01/ 6/2011
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Lamar Smith issues first DOJ oversight letterBy Jennifer Rubin

“little oversight” – indeed.

The POTUS Is Restless

Which explains a lot and why he cannot seem to focus.

(Found this in a comment in a post on Don Surbers blog. Unfortunately, can’t determine the original commenter for proper attribution.)

Gas Diesel Drastic Price Increases

Not here – just yet. But look where it is – Bolivia. Up 73% for gas and up 83% for diesel.

And the riots it produced.

A rather unhappy start for the new year. Question is, how and when will this impact us?