This has alwasy bugged me — the fact that you use your credit card and the implied security is by your signature, but the majority of your cashiers out there don’t understand why and what they’re doing by getting a signature.

Regardless, this is pretty amusing:

The Credit Card Prank

Well looks like July 1st will be the magic day for the new DirecTV HDTV package. Looks like our bill will be going up by $10.99 a month:

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 3, 2003–DIRECTV, Inc., the
nation’s leading digital multichannel television service provider, announced
today that it will launch a new high-definition (HD) programming package on
July 1. The HD package will include ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater(TM), HDNet
and HDNet Movies, and is available by subscription for $10.99 per month.
In addition to ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet and HDNet Movies, DIRECTV
will also provide its customers with special events broadcast in HD, similar
to events broadcast in the past, such as USA’s coverage of the Masters
Tournament, NBA games and NBA TV programming blocks.
“DIRECTV has been a passionate proponent of HDTV since it launched the first
coast-to-coast HD-feed more than four years ago,” said Stephanie Campbell,
senior vice president, Programming, DIRECTV, Inc. “Over the last year, as the
HD category has gained tremendous momentum, our customers have told us they
want more HD programming. The launch of this HD package reinforces DIRECTV’s
commitment to the category, and to offering our customers the best quality
high-definition programming.”

The DIRECTV HD package includes:

ESPN HD — A 24-hour high-definition simulcast service of ESPN that
delivers the best lineup of quality sports events, news and
information and entertainment telecasts currently available, including
games from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association,
the National Football League and the National Hockey League.

Discovery HD Theater — Discovery HD Theater is the new 24/7 channel
filmed entirely in high-definition. The channel delivers programs
about nature, science and technology, geography, travel and world
culture — all designed to provide the highest-quality viewing
experience available. It offers the world’s most spectacular images
delivered in the world’s most stunning quality. Discovery HD Theater
is like having a movie theater right in your own home.
HDNet — A 24-hour network featuring live sports like NHL(R) and
MLS(R) games, boxing, drama series, concerts and original news and
documentary programming including HDNet World Report and Across
America.

HDNet Movies — Delivers a 24-hour schedule of blockbuster movie
titles from Warner Bros., Sony, and other major studios, as well as
made-for-TV movies, independent films and shorts.

With the addition of the HD package, DIRECTV will offer seven HD channels to
its more than 11.4 million customers nationwide. DIRECTV customers are
currently receiving HBO(R) HDTV and SHOWTIME HDTV(R) as part of their premium
packages, as well as HD PPV movies for $4.99 each. In addition, under terms of
its new five-year agreement with the National Football League for exclusive
rights to NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM), DIRECTV also plans to begin offering
high-definition telecasts of professional football games during the 2003
regular NFL season.
To access HDTV channels, consumers may purchase any HDTV set with a built-in
DIRECTV(R) Receiver or a DIRECTV-enabled high-definition set-top receiver, and
a single 18 x 20- or 18 x 24-inch multi-satellite dish with three LNBs. HDTV
sets integrated with the DIRECTV Receiver, DIRECTV-enabled HD receivers and
triple-LNB satellite dishes are available from authorized DIRECTV retailers
nationwide.
DIRECTV is the nation’s leading digital satellite television service provider
with more than 11.4 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are
registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics
Corporation. HUGHES is the world’s leading provider of digital television
entertainment, broadband services, satellite-based private business networks,
and global video and data broadcasting. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of
General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings attributable to
the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE: GMH). Visit DIRECTV on the
World Wide Web at DIRECTV.com.

CONTACT: DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer, 310/964-4683

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CABLE TELEVISION/RADIO CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD
PRODUCT
SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.

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