Zook, you fail to see the distinction. I will quote what I said above:

"It's not like I'm setting up a TV screen on my driveway and expecting people walking by to avert their eyes while I'm watching House. If you access my internet connection, you do so intentionally. It isn't invading your space or inconveniencing you."

See the difference?

(Radio is free, by the way.)

Okay, that fruit tree analogy needs to be dropped. It implies physical encroachment or other inconvenience upon the neighbor who doesn't have internet. That is simply not the case. Nor do you "own" the radio waves constantly being broadcast through your home.

Yeah, you can say, "if you don't want people to access your internet, use password protection." Well, that's great, but it's a bit beside the point of this discussion. People seem to be saying "hey, if it's not password protected, it's as good as giving me permission!"

It's as simple as this:

I am paying for a service. If you are benefiting from that service without my knowledge or consent, you are stealing from me.

It's not like I'm setting up a TV screen on my driveway and expecting people walking by to avert their eyes while I'm watching House. If you access my internet connection, you do so intentionally. It isn't invading your space or inconveniencing you.

That being said, people are going to do it no matter what. Whether it's illegal or not doesn't particularly matter, and I don't think it's the most heinous thing in the world for someone to access an open wifi connection. I would hope the people who DO would exercise some common courtesy and stick to low-bandwidth activities.

Now it's getting ridiculous. You've been bombarded with radio waves your whole life! There are some grand leaps of logic going on here.

Your opera singing is disturbing the peace because I'm not actively trying to listen to it. I don't have to intentionally log in through a computer to be able to hear you. Nor can I simply turn off my ears if I want to shut you out. You are also not adversely affected if one or more people listen to your singing. None of that can be compared to wireless internet.

If you want to think of invisible signals that way... YOUR cell phone's signal is being broadcast through my home! I demand the immediate cessation of all cell phone, radio, satellite, and other electronic device usage around my home!

Please.

Interesting article... but about as satisfying as reading an essay entitled "Aerial Dogfights 100 Years From Now" by the Wright brothers. I'm sure their description would have involved lots of rope, pulleys, and smartly dressed mustachioed gentlemen.

That octopus playing with a Mr. Potato Head is adorable!

I agree with you guys, cephalopods rock! They really are amazing, problem-solving squish monsters.

They're such smart, curious creatures but they only live for about a year on average. Imagine if they had even half our life span!

First known tool use by an invertebrate animal? Surely hermit crabs count.

Also, the plural of "octopus" is BOTH "octopuses" and "octopodes." The former is much more common here in the U.S. (and possibly the U.K.?).

$2 Charles and Trader Joe's: A match made in heaven.