Wow, I need a technospeak dictionary to try to understand what you're talking about! But I sense a thread of disappointment with the 'portapak' technology, that it was ahead of it's time or not utilized to it's potential. Personally I think that the 'democratizing' of television has actually become the 'dumb-ocratizing', what with the so-called reality shows Survivor and American Idol, etc. You even comment on that trend with You Tube. My choice is to toss the whole thing out and relate to the world one-on-one, face to face, mano tu? mano (my spanish sucks). But don't take away my NPR, Sirius radio or my laptop, it replaces snail mail at least! By the way, we saw a Peregrine falcon, hawks, pelicans, a bobcat, sea otter and an elephant seal while camped at our wide-spot on the road above Hwy. 1 on the CA coast over Christmas! Love you guys, and Happy New Year!