Back on line again

You know, it's really tough being out of touch.

My internet service was down -- I think it's a bad router -- for a couple of days and it seemed like I was stuck on a desert island, without the margaritas.

I bought a MAC notebook (yea, I know - booo from all you PC folks out there) and I bought a router so I could join the Wi-Fi (as separate from the Wii) generation. Well, the best laid plans.

You wouldn't think a guy who was a newsman for more than 40 years would be naive - but I guess I am.
I wandered into the nearest Starbucks to use the WiFi that they are so proud of.

Silly me, I thought you went in, bought some coffee and started to work. Well, up comes this screen to tell me that all my connections -- both WiFi and Bluetooth (I got this really cool wireless mousie so I wouldn't have to deal with THE PAD.) So here I was, shocked, shocked I say (again "Casablanca") to read that you need a T-Mobile account that you could have for 30 or 40 bucks a month or 10 bucks a day. So much for free.

I guess I can't blame them -- after all the name is starBUCKS. I guessed that since they have always let people spend hours and hours reading The New York Times or Washington Post while nursing a small cup of coffee, especially when I wanted to sit down, they would let Web readers have equal access.

I guess they haven't yet figured out how to charge by the page.

Anyway, for all those in the tribe, Shabbat Shalom.

See ya next week.