You’re not from there; I am from there!

The following was inspired by “Why You Lie About Where You Are From” by Jake Flanagin, New York Times, 2014-08-08.

My wife often says that she is from Cleveland and that we lived in Philadelphia.  I reply that she is not from Cleveland and that we lived well outside Philadelphia.

Until I went to college I lived mostly within the borders of the City of Cleveland with a couple of years in a rural area and a few years in one of the largest suburbs, East Cleveland.  On the other hand, when my wife lived in the Cleveland area she lived in farther out suburb and a small city, Berea.  It wasn’t until we were married that she actually lived in the City of Cleveland.  Maybe that makes her eligible to be “from” Cleveland.

When we came back to the U. S. from living in Europe, we lived in a township outside the city of Norristown, an exurb of Philadephia.  In Whitpain Township, nothing was within walking distance; we had to drive everywhere and there was no public transportation.

Now we can truly say we live in the City of Duluth.  Lots is within walking distance, but not so much anymore.  Even five years ago I thought nothing of walking home from downtown (mostly uphill).  Now I wonder how many years before I’m unwilling to take the slight uphill walk to UMD.

Broadband gets broader

I went to an informational meeting put on by the Forest Service in the Brimson-Toimi area this afternoon.  While chatting with other attendees I learned that broadband has become more widely available in Brimson.  It is now within walking distance of our cabin.

But is it pricey!!   Starting at $49.99 or something like that for up to 6Mbps for existing customers.  Notice the "starting at" and "for up to".  It is not exactly clear that you can get 6Mbps service for $49.99.  Frontier's web site does not provide more details unless you click on "Buy now".  Otherwise you have to talk to a representative to get more details.  Why does one have to talk to a representative?  Probably because one would be more likely to buy while talking to a representative.

I should state that there are other offers, say for $24.99 for up to 3Mbps for the first year and $34.99 the second year.  There is also a $4.50/month equipment rental.  And of course, "taxes, surcharges, and USF charges".

And the offers conflict.  Existing customers can get this through Dec. 31 according to one page.  Nation-wide the offer is available through Jun. 30.

Frontier is not alone in this.  Look at the cell phone plans.  Look at other phone companies offers.  It's mind boggling.  I just want simple tables:

x benefit y dollars
z benefit w dollars

Dream on!

Whither Iran?

"Yet [Ayatollah Khameni] must have been troubled by a sense of déjà vu having lived to hear the calls of “God is Great” from Tehran rooftops denouncing his handpicked president. The same calls 30 years ago brought the shah’s regime to its knees."

- "A Middle Class Uprising", Abbas Amanat, New York Times, 2009-06-16, appended to an editorial "Where Will the Power Lie in Iran?"

Amanat also points out that 80% of Iran's population is urban or semi-urban. So much for the rural people were dominant in the election.