I may survive. If I can get through the next oh say three days at work. Light at end of tunnel. We're going in to work some today, then zipping off to see Ned Kelley (Orlando Bloom!) in the metroplex (limited release Australian film). And will be thinking about AU. Thought I had last section all neatly plotted, but Imrahil and Eowyn are throwing spanners into work. *pats poor Boromir* Somehow people seem intent on throwing more work and misery at him, and it's just not fair. Will probably not be on much today later on, though may sneak in a bit at work (faster server, easier to reply to comments). Entwife read article about "Last Mile" in technology: the rural poor areas were last ones to get electricity, and it took a big government push. The "last mile" in technology is always hardest to get done. And I think we're in the last mile for DSL where we are. May take a big government push (hah) to force internet providers to hook up these less profitable, low population, areas. And a whole lot of stuff on internet is now assuming people have DSL. As, years ago, everyone assumed that people had internet access period which wasn't always true (or for my students, computers even). I'm wondering if satellites will trump the other modes of delivery. When we moved out here seven years ago, there was no cable available for love nor money. And not a hell of a lot of competition despite all the hoo-hah in this country over "free market." Had to be an antenna or satellite. We chose satellite (had to get TREK fix). When we looked into internet, the satellite version (send as well as receive) was tempting but WAAY too expensive. That may change. And in recent years, when cable has come to our area and is hitting us up with advertising, we refuse to change. (Plus we've had NONE of the troubles the cable ads claim satellites have. Oh, we'd lose reception for a little while during tornado watches with high winds, but never for very long!) The satellites were there when cable wasn't, so there you go. Interesting to see how the "last mile" is handled with internet (as compared to rural electrification).