Finally, some SMSense!

I have always found the american cellphone system to be weird. One pays for incoming minutes, as well as outgoing minutes. While at some level, it can be explained [one always has the choice to NOT take a call], the idea of paying for outgoing and incoming text messages [SMSs for the non-americans] was completely crazy to me.

Note that I am not pro-free-lunch. For example, if the phone company gave me an option to delete the message without reading it, so as to not pay money for that message, I would be perfectly OK with it. Add to that the fact that people can buy "unlimited" messaging for a fee, and you can see how you can get a close friend bankrupt by just spending $20 a month for your own unlimited messages. I have often said to my friends that there is a class-action lawsuit waiting to happen there :).

Well, finally, at least in the same continent, someone has shown the guts to actually bring about such a suit [via /.].

And in other news, the following clips show how the current US election is turning up. I love that Jon Stewart chose to point out Obama's change in stance for off-shore drilling owing to public opinion polls, but I wish he skewers Obama more. [disclaimer: I am rooting for Obama in the elections, but I hope he was less of a 'politician']



And the Coal-bear gives you the right-wing perspective on this:


:)

À bientot!
-A
P.S. At Guantanamo Bay, a panel of six military officers convicted Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's former driver, of providing material support for terrorism but not guilty of conspiracy charged. [reported earlier here]. Make sure to listen to the audio clip at the NPR page.