Macho, by your comments, you obviously do not have a subscription. Not saying it would sway your opinion. I do have sirius and I am also invested in it. I can tell you that I LOVE the product. I have so many options that I can listen to, anytime, anywhere. Tons of talk, tons of music, comedy, news etc.... It is endless. Now with that being said, if the merger comes thru, these lesser packages that have been promised are right down my alley. While I love the freedom and choice of the programming, 90 percent of the time I have it on channel 129 which is CNBC. The merger has promised much lower monthly rates for smaller selections in channels. As far as your kids turning on and hearing a DJ or someone else dropping F Bombs, on the receiver that I have, you can lock channels out and there are many channels that do not curse and also bleep them out of songs. At the end of the day, terrestrial radio doesn't have a chance. They have a strong lobbying force which concerns me, but that is as competetive as they are going to get.

I need to get a subscription to that, and an Ipod. You may be right about anything having a hard time changing my mind, there. I did try listening to Sirius a couple times in rental cars, but perhaps I just had to do some more tweeking, and the product learning curve was just too high. There is something of the curmudgeon -- like me, at times -- who does not even own an Ipod and did not ever want to even have one. However, recently someone informed me there are oodles of seminars, podcasts, and so forth available on the Ipod, just as you have stated there is a lot of good programming on Sirius.

What this "goes up against" is the "curmudgeon" in many. Take me: still driving the 1996 Caravan that I bought new because I like the idea of how well it has lasted me, I am tired of the choices available. There is Public Radio, but other than that, there's music and conservative talk show hosts. (My 1996 Caravan is running like a breeze; it will never be out of style because it was never IN style, but Dodge did make a poor choice of transmission gasket somewhere back in 1996, that is the one defect.) I am going to see if I can retrofit a Sirius radio to my 1996 Caravan.

There is some of the competition both SIRI and XM have, the "curmudgeon effect." Then, there are those who are too young and to whom paying for something like that wouldn't be of interest. There are then, those in between, who want quality and will pay for it. I'm not sure if that can sustain the costly satellite radio companies. This year, my resolutions are to get a Sirius radio, get my first Ipod, and exchange my Palm-based phone (can't even see YouTube on it!) when the contract expires for an Iphone, as long as it can take nice videos that you don't need permission from Apple to view.

SIRI's prospects still remind me of one or more of the writers on Motley Fool pushing SCSS (Select Comfort Sleep Systems) again and again. I believe he felt there were great financials but I think his eyes were slightly blinded to any marketing strategy problems -- like competition.  Early on, he owned up as to how he had a "Sleep Number" bed and loved it. The prime producet of SCSS is the "Sleep Number" bed. However, the stock when up a bit off and on. Usually, it just kept tanking and tanking. The problem is, there are these other beds out there, too. If you want a "Sleep Number" bed, you have to actually go out looking for it, or buy it off a TV ad. It may be the best bed to sleep on -- for many people -- but will that be enough to allow the company to survive?

With SIRI or XM, I know you can just go to a Best Buy, Circuit City or any other electronics store out there and buy one. Many will not do that. Once they get there, there are just too many other distractions "worthy" of buying -- like Ipods.  So, even as I check it out, there is a sense of relief in having dumped those shares of SIRI about a year back, after months and months of sinking from the 5's and 6's to the 3's while the "Chief Huckster" kept touting the turn-around "just around the bend." They have a great product, and I am going to get one... soon.