Test post from IE to see if Blogger is broken

So here is a test post from IE7 to see if the problem is browser related.

[UPDATE] So it looks like there is a problem with Blogger if you try to post from Firefox. I keep getting this error message: "URL contains illegal characters" without any explanation about which URL or what characters. Looking around Blogger's help turns up nothing useful that does not relate to URLs to images (I wasn't posting with an image). So, I tried posting from IE7 instead of Firefox, and encountered no problems.

Just for kicks, I am linking to the search results in Blogger's help just to see if embedding a hyperlink really does cause trouble.

Comcast "fiber optics" vs. Verizon FIOS

We are getting FIOS from Verizon installed today now that it is available in our neighborhood.  For the same price ($55/month) that Comcast charges us for 1.5ish down/500 - 700ish up, we will be getting 15 down/2 up from Verizon.  Comcast is good sometimes, but not always, and that's a problem.  The thing with cable broadband is that depending on how much your neighbors are using the bandwidth that is shared in your neighborhood area, your bandwidth may be severely limited.

My installation experience so far has been good.  The initial sales person was very professional, and all the steps he told me would happen (initial survey/line painting for other buried utilities, trenching of fiber from the local box, installer appointment) have happened as described and on time.  The installer called today to say he was about half an hour away, and while I had him on the phone I described our existing setup and asked what his plan was for running copper from the fiber terminal to the location where I want the router.  He said that because we already are using the coax for DirecTV, he will run CAT5 into the room, and even asked where we would like the wall plate to be located which I think is awesome (we had back luck trying to run DirecTV and Comcast over the same coax, so I didn't want to add yet another service into the mix, even though we will be getting rid of Comcast as soon as possible).

Anyhow, Comcast must be getting hammered by Verizon and losing customers left and right, if the billboard on the major road through our town is any indication.  I don't have a picture of it, but it cracks me up every time I see it.  It is a photograph of a bundle of fiber optic strands with the words "Comcast: powered by fiber optics" in big letters on the other half of the billboard.  I guess they hope unsuspecting consumers will think twice about getting FIOS because, at least according to the billboard, they already have fiber optic service from Comcast.

I'm not falling for it, and I can't wait to compare the two side by side, right before I ditch Comcast for good.