12 yo son wants XM

[chas_m]

[quote graylocks]his allowance is $7 a week. i think it's a lot but from talking with other parents, it appears i'm scrooge. i make it that high because i decided long ago to get out of the 'can i have..' business. except for birthdays and xmas, he buys all his own toys, games, and (with my permission only) soda and candy. he also handles cd sales for me at my shows which earns him a small percentage of the gross. (hey, some kids cut lawns, when you're a singer/songwriters kid you sell cds!)

he's actually quite savvy with his money and spends hours researching before making most purchases. he's apparently willing to give up about 1 week's allowance for XM.
My first post in this thread was borne of genuine curiosity, not any kind of sassiness or snark (as some people have apparently misinterpreted), and I just wanted to say that you really do sound like a most excellent parent -- blessed with a smart, savvy kid.

PS. For the record, I am a) over 40, b) married for 10 years now and c) living on my own since I was 16.

PPS. And yes, I have no children -- so I *am* a plethora of parenting advice, as it happens, since I'm an unbiased observer.

[graylocks]

[quote chas_m]

My first post in this thread was borne of genuine curiosity, not any kind of sassiness or snark (as some people have apparently misinterpreted),
actually, that's what i assumed and why i took the time to respond. no harm, no foul.

[Jimmypoo]

I would think not having any kids of your own would make one an uninformed observer, rather than unbiased.

Even raising kids (as a kid or young adult as a result of absent parents) is not the same as either having children of your own loins (or by adoption, as a conscious choice of parenthood).

Chas - you're always going to get it, despite your new found humility, at least for a while. Keep it up - we really do prefer the new, good humored you.

It would be great if everyone would just help Graylocks with the info, rather than the decision to go ahead with it. The expectations of "welcome interference" on such a personal topic as parenting, from a forum audience?, is almost humorous -- but not.

As for the question at hand - the stuff looks good, but if you are equipped, don't miss this great resource that Apple has handed us all! If we are talking about just a bedroom focus (and not the boom box/car aspect of it) - there is a mega choice of things to listen to for Nada - right within iTunes. (more below)



Also -- do you have Cable? You might have some music channels being piped through Adelphia/Charter/ComCast that would blow you away.

Of course none of that matters now because YOU PROMISED!- so you are going to have to cough up for XM as well as a small car for the boy to listen to it in (which can sit in your driveway until he gets his license).

It's too late. You've already agreed. I suggest a 1986 Yugo to start out.

[graylocks]

itunes and internet radio have been my music/news lifeline, jimmypoo. his computer (sigh, a pc) is in the family room. from what i've learned, once the xm is set up any fm radio in the house could receive it. he listens to music mostly in his room at night on a boom box.

of course, his enthusiasm has dimmed a little since my research has uncovered that i can block access to explicit channels. judging by the programming descriptions, there doesn't appear to be any metal channels w/o profanity which he would listen to if he had the option.

xm has a 3 day online trial which we will give a shot as soon as he gets his computer privileges back. (that's another story...)

[graylocks]

[quote AlphaDog][quote bhaveshp]Actually, you can listen to 20+ XM radio stations for free on your Mac as well. AOL Radio is a nice streaming radio player with 200 streams including 20 of XM's most popular stations.
Do you have to be an AOL subscriber? They're asking for a screen name and password, which, of course, I don't have.
no. i just signed up for a free AOL/AIM email account. after the verification process, AOL Radio opened and worked fine. hope it doesn't leave AOL junk all over my harddrive...

[OWC Jamie]

[quote chas_m][quote billb]Before you buy a unit, decide whether Sirius or XM has the preferrable programming. I know people who have both.
The mind boggles. I almost feel sorry for people with so much money and no direction.

[quote billb]XM has a weather channel that's an extra $30.00/$50.00 a month that plugs into a PC that's fairly slick. For those that need it.
I'm trying to imagine how slick that would have to be to beat the plethora of free or lower-cost computer/weather options -- and failing.

Maybe if you didn't live in such a small pathetic world you'd have the requisite imagination to accept that there are people in this world who actually work and live in extreme environments (not Mom's basement) where simple pleasures such as satellite communications are a requirement for sanity.
Put yourself on an oil rig in the Gulf for a three month stint and convince everyone here $25.00 a month is an extreme bourgeois accomodation. Put yourself in the wild's of Alaska. Put yourself in a Maritimer's world months at sea with nothing but satellite feeds for information and entertainment off-shift. Put yourself at the helm of a tractor for a ten to twelve hour shift in any mid-west farming community where there's little but AM radio. Put yourself on the wrong side of any mountain in mountainous country. Put yourself on any ship off-shore, commercial or pleasure/private during inclement weather and convince everyone here that satellite weather feeds for a measly $30 or $50.00 a month shouldn't be a mandatory safety requirement.
It may surprise you to learn that not everyone lives in the cushy comforts of Mom's basement.

[Baby Tats]

[quote billb]
Maybe if you didn't live in such a small pathetic world you'd have the requisite imagination to accept that there are people in this world who actually work and live in extreme environments (not Mom's basement) where simple pleasures such as satellite communications are a requirement for sanity.
Put yourself on an oil rig in the Gulf for a three month stint and convince everyone here $25.00 a month is an extreme bourgeois accomodation. Put yourself in the wild's of Alaska. Put yourself in a Maritimer's world months at sea with nothing but satellite feeds for information and entertainment off-shift. Put yourself at the helm of a tractor for a ten to twelve hour shift in any mid-west farming community where there's little but AM radio. Put yourself on the wrong side of any mountain in mountainous country. Put yourself on any ship off-shore, commercial or pleasure/private during inclement weather and convince everyone here that satellite weather feeds for a measly $30 or $50.00 a month shouldn't be a mandatory safety requirement.
It may surprise you to learn that not everyone lives in the cushy comforts of Mom's basement.
Well said. Most people live a rather insular existence. Sad really.

BT

[ho'ard]

Guess I should have read the rest of the thread before downloading that AOL dealie.

I would love a better selection of high-sample rate digital music, certianly enough to pay for it; preferably received via the computer.

I use Itunes Library but there are big holes-- particularly in higher quality streams, and . . . where the heck is the latin music??

[ho'ard]

Oops, I meant iTunes radio.