Star Trek meets Howard Stern, Sirius-ly

How about that for a headline title. So corny I know.
Anyway, what happened Monday over the satellite airwaves could be turn out to the start of a revolution and based on news reports, it certainly looks like it is, in fact, a revolution. At 6:00 AM a remixed version of 2001: A Space Odyssey was aired on Howard 100, one of two new Howard Stern-based channels on Sirius satellite radio. The remix was simply the original track with farts dubbed in. At that point the new announcer of the Howard Stern show proudly boomed through my headphones, none other than Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei (it rhymes with okay). The first morning was riddled with technical difficulties but that did not detract from the monumental first show.
After three days it is obvious that Stern and his crew are extremely happy at their new home in space. The shows have moved quickly with minimal commercial breaks and it is obvious that the Howard Stern show has picked up right it left off.
Many questioned whether or not satellite radio would survive. Paying for radio? Blasphemy! Well, people thought that cable TV would never take off when network TV could be had for free. Will satellite radio take off and become the standard that cable has become? No one can be really sure but Monday definitely swung the pendulum towards the "yes" side of the debate. Sirius Satellite radio has had over 3 million subscriptions since November and that number is increasing daily, as some estimated that over 400,000 people tried to activate thier Sirius service on Sunday and Monday before Howard's first show. Who knows what will happen in 5 years once Howard's contract runs out but for now satellite radio seems to be the wave of the future.