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Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

telecom.csail.mit.edu

261–270 of 486 posts

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#261

I was a "broadband technician" around then and AT&T Broadband did not give AF if you were stealing cable or not. I only handled cable modem installs and quit after a year to go major in philosophy and because: - Getting quietly threatened once (with AR-15 up against the customer's front door) on a troubleshooting call that I wasn't able to leave until "the internet started working". - Having to increasingly go do cab…

I feel you about getting zapped. I visited Catalonia for a month in 2008, and I was trying to help improve OTA reception on my fiancée's TV. She had a roof antenna installed. Little did I know that the antenna in Europe is actually energized by design (I think I found out later?) and I received several non-damaging but definitely "means business" shocks whilst trying to manipulate the cables.

> Little did I know that the antenna in Europe is actually energized by design (I think I found out later?)

A normal rooftop antenna is not energized. However, if that's in a house, there likely is a power amplifier placed in the line (or, for more fancy setups, a powered splitter box) to make sure every antenna socket can have a TV plugged in without compromising signal integrity.

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#262

I was a "broadband technician" around then and AT&T Broadband did not give AF if you were stealing cable or not. I only handled cable modem installs and quit after a year to go major in philosophy and because: - Getting quietly threatened once (with AR-15 up against the customer's front door) on a troubleshooting call that I wasn't able to leave until "the internet started working". - Having to increasingly go do cab…

I feel you about getting zapped. I visited Catalonia for a month in 2008, and I was trying to help improve OTA reception on my fiancée's TV. She had a roof antenna installed. Little did I know that the antenna in Europe is actually energized by design (I think I found out later?) and I received several non-damaging but definitely "means business" shocks whilst trying to manipulate the cables.

> the antenna in Europe is actually energized by design

wtf. Wanna drop some links?

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#263
post #196
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's built into the trigger mechanism. What, so pressing the trigger automatically disengages the safety? As a non-gun-person that seems like an insane design decision.

>What, so [pulling] the trigger automatically disengages the safety? Correct. There's a few other internal safeties to help ensure it doesn't go off unless someone is pulling the trigger and (hopefully) intending to fire. It's still drop safe and not going to go off by itself, but if you fire it (and there's a round in the chamber), it's going off. >As a non-gun-person that seems like an insane design decision There'…

> you're not going to accidentally forget to disengage a safety at the worst possible time

That's much better than the opposite problem: forgetting to engage the safety and accidentally discharging.

> it does increase the risk when improperly handling the firearm

I just feel like having to toggle a switch before killing a man is the least you can do to avoid accidents.

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> DAs have stopped fully prosecuting criminals -- including those who commit violent gun crimes Just wondering if you have any evidence to back up this assertion.

[flagged]

> gaslighting

Please.

Just link a study or something. FWIW I think it's wild I'm being accused of gaslighting over a simple request. Isn't that DARVO?

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The amount of incidents involving firearms is astonishing. I'm glad I live in Europe where literally nobody has guns except police and heavy criminals that only really use them to shoot their rivals. I thought most people in the US were proud of their firearm handling professionalism which of course includes not brandishing, threatening or murdering people. I'm really a bit surprised to hear this. I did a similar job…

Americans take pride in having them, but being properly trained in safely handling or effectively using them is optional. Try and force it and you’ll get the tyranny talk. Sadly I’ve heard many stories of cable/dish techs dealing with this nonsense.

At least they're free from the tyranny of the cable service personnel...

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#266
post #222
post #20

Here in Australia, you would just need to call the TIO to get it sorted out. Likewise if financial institutions are stuffing you about, call ACMA. If it's an energy company, call Energy and Water. A perfect example of how the private sector cannot self regulate to the benefit of consumers simply because a profit motive exists. Every time I've made an ombudsman complaint I have received Good Service™ from the company…

I think you mean APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority), not ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority). You call ACMA when someone is interfering with your licensed radio spectrum, and from experience, the service is excellent!

Sorry I mean AFCA

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I lived in rural Ireland most of the farmers had a shotgun or rifle.

Yeah but did they have faulty broadband?

Actually, they had brand new broadband! My area was in a "rural fibre zone" and while I was there the local houses (including mine) went from satellite-only or tethering (which could be OK, sometimes, barely) or 1 Mbit DSL to 1Gbps fibre. It was pretty awesome.

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#268
post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Registered to a different person" -- for the most part, guns are not registered in the USA. Was this in a state or city with a registry for AR-15s? "Loaded straight into fairly skinny jeans without checking the safety." -- Glocks do not have safeties. The idea with most newer striker-fired pistols, like the Glock, is that the gun goes in a hard-sided (molded nylon or kydex) holster. If it's not in the holster, it's…

> "Registered to a different person" -- for the most part, guns are not registered in the USA. Was this in a state or city with a registry for AR-15s? I interpreted this as the cop having simply stolen the guns from their registered owners through some sort of search or seizure process.

There would be no "registered owners" in most jurisdictions.

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#269
post #165
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Theft" doesn't just mean "physically taking something away from someone else, who now no longer has it". As much as you might like it to mean that, that's not what the law says.

On top of that, it takes equipment, hardware, personnel, infrastructure, power to deliver cable. The OP literally has no idea what they are talking about, and could use the same logic for electricity theft.

I believe that’s “abstraction of electricity” in the U.K, Theft requires an intent to permanently deprive.

“Grand theft auto” is “taking without consent” in most of the U.K., although in Scotland it’s “taking and driving away”

It’s a sad sign of American cultural hegemony that GTA wasn’t called TADA.

Either way the amount of power abstracted from a cable signal is infinitesimal.

Re: Get a cable modem, go to jail (1999)

#270

I was a "broadband technician" around then and AT&T Broadband did not give AF if you were stealing cable or not. I only handled cable modem installs and quit after a year to go major in philosophy and because: - Getting quietly threatened once (with AR-15 up against the customer's front door) on a troubleshooting call that I wasn't able to leave until "the internet started working". - Having to increasingly go do cab…

The amount of incidents involving firearms is astonishing. I'm glad I live in Europe where literally nobody has guns except police and heavy criminals that only really use them to shoot their rivals. I thought most people in the US were proud of their firearm handling professionalism which of course includes not brandishing, threatening or murdering people. I'm really a bit surprised to hear this. I did a similar job…

What are you talking about? What country in EU ? Because for example here in CZ, there's a lot of firearms. But guess what, you must pay for a gun license and have a doctor examination with possibility of psych. evaluation, then a gun license exam is really hard also practice test of gun handling and shooting is pretty hard and not cheap.

So you will think twice to get it and you really don't want to loose it. Basically turning gun owners into the most law abiding citizens there is.

If you're talking about countries like UK or similar, where you can't legally defend against attackers and biggest cities are controlled by gangs with kitchen knives and acid bottles. Even police don't have guns and can't arrest them, cuz racism or something. GG EZ.

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