the random musings not worthy of new thread thread

[General_Failure]

Sun is yellow. Space is black.

[Yeti]

Black is the new black.

[Father Demon]

Stingray kills some old lady

[ice grillin you]

http://perezhilton.com/2008-03-20-coming-soon-6

[Diomedes]

hell yea

[Father Demon]

IN.

And out.

and in.

and out.

and in.

[General_Failure]

There is next to nothing on television I want to watch. I've been wanting to watch a dvd for a couple of weeks now, but I've only got an old tv and the dish box. Yesterday I had a eureka moment and remembered that my laptop has a dvd drive. So I threw in a movie, got my popcorn ready, and started it up.

Ten minutes in, the laptop overheated and shut down.

[ice grillin you]

we need a random musings not worthy of a new post thread

[General_Failure]

Your face isn't worthy of a new post thread!

[Eagaholic]

There was this blurb in Yahoo about Viagra's 10 year anniversary.

It said "Ten years ago this month the lives of millions of men and women were changed almost overnight by the advent of a little blue pill -- the first oral treatment for impotence. "

Actually, it's the second.

[Cerevant]

Yeah, but the first is far too rare to help most men.

[ice grillin you]

Sirius-XM Gets Antitrust Approval

By SARAH MCBRIDE and JOHN R. WILKE
March 24, 2008 3:23 p.m.

The Department of Justice approved the merger of satellite radio companies Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., marking a big step forward for a long-running Wall Street cliffhanger that comes more than a year after the deal was struck.

The merger also requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission. While it is unlikely that the FCC will go against the Justice Department's ruling, it has the power to impose conditions that might make the controversial merger slightly more palatable to the groups lined up against it. A ruling from the FCC is expected in coming weeks.

Still, the hardest work could lie ahead for the two companies as they work to meet the high expectations among both subscribers and for a combined company that faces still competition from traditional broadcasters, iPods, mobile phones and other emerging ways for consumers to consumer music and other programming.

The companies proposed their merger in February 2007, when it was considered extremely ambitious, largely because it was seen as creating a satellite radio monopoly that regulators would be unlikely to approve. Since then, however, the companies have argued that the satellite radio services compete not just with each other, but with all kinds of audio entertainment, starting with regular radio stations.

Now, Sirius and XM will have to prove that their merger will lead to all the benefits they outlined as they sought approval. Some will be fairly easy to implement. For example, the companies promised tiered pricing, allowing consumers who listen to just a few channels discounted rates. Currently, each service costs $12.99 a month.

But other promised changes might prove trickier. For example, Sirius and XM said their subscribers would be able to receive programming from either service, without having to purchase a new radio receiver. Currently, each service is incompatible with the other company's receivers.

Although a few channels from the other service could be added fairly quickly onto each company's satellites, more than a handful would require some creative engineering solutions. The companies say they have been working on the appropriate technology and expect full a la carte selection within one year.

Shareholders in both companies also expect a combined satellite radio service to deliver savings that would improve each company's financial picture. Both companies lose millions of dollars each year as they struggle to build subscriber growth while meeting extraordinarily high fixed costs, such as launching satellites.

As one company, the satellite radio business could eliminate duplicated channels, such as the similar music channels each offers. It would be rid of the bidding wars that led to extraordinary price tags for talent such as Howard Stern and Major League Baseball. Back office staffs could be combined and cut, along with marketing budgets, research budgets, and the like.

[Seabiscuit36]

Bout damn time

[Wingspan]

You've paid 12.99 a month for the last time.

[SD_Eagle5]

I gave my subscription up 6 months ago, just didn't listen to it. I wonder what the Howards and O&A's of the world are saying about this.