Using a Proxy to Acess USA-only Content

After blogging about USA-only web content (link: Not-So-World-Wide Web) Kevin H. sent me a link to an entry at gHacks called How To Watch ABC TV Streams Outside the USA.

The 'hack' involves finding and using an anonymous proxy to convince ABC's servers that you're in the US. I haven't tried it yet, but reading the comments at gHacks, it sounds like it works...for some people, sometimes. Those open proxies aren't terribly reliable, and the ones that are used a lot tend to get blocked.

I don't know if it's worth it just to get access to free streams of TV episodes, but the thing is, there seem to be more ecommerce sites that block non-US IP addresses. Which means that I can't shop there. Even though I have a US credit card, a US shipping address, etc. Here I am ready to give them my money, and they don't want it. That doesn't seem very smart. I can understand (kinda) that not every online store wants to ship overseas. Fine. Their choice. But to completely block non-US-based shoppers from the site? Come on, people!

Sometimes I'm happy to buy something, have it shipped to a US address and then forwarded to me in Australia. Sometimes I want to buy a gift for somebody in the US. And I know I'm not the only one. Please take our money and let us shop, dammit!