There were a few teasers, but it looks like Republic Wireless is launching today (11/8/2011) with its fairly revolutionary cellular plan.

You get:

• Mostly unlimited talk, text, and data for $19 a month.
• No contract.
• $199 initial cost which ships you a LG Optimus S Android smartphone.

The Optimus S you get has been modified to seamlessly use WiFi whenever it is connected, switching to Sprint's cellular network as a fallback when you are not. What's the catch? You have to conform to a certain, but common, user profile where you are connected to WiFi most of the time. Apparently the cut off point where Republic starts sending you concerned correspondence is some combination of 550 minutes, 150 texts, and 300 megabytes of data used on the cellular network. Anything you use while on WiFi anywhere in the world *is*, however, truly unlimited.

If you're around WiFi more than cellular networks, like Alice and I, this might just be a great deal.

http://republicwireless.com/

AT&T has agreed to acquire T-mobile... GSM monopoly in the USA, dogs and cats living together, we'll be switching to Sprint.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/atandt-agrees-to-buy-t-mobile-from-deutsche-telekom/

Combine AT&T's draconian and invasive cellular plans with the only other independent GSM operator in the entire Unites States of America? This isn't something that should be allowed. Where are the Hoover anti-trust busters when you need them??

Dogs and cats living together... seriously.

--Jack

Fareed Zakaria posted an excellent piece on his website March 3 2011:

Are America's Best Days Behind Us?

I first read Mr. Zakaria's work years ago when he was doing a regular column for Newsweek. There was always something unique about his writing: a sense of clarity, the perspective of someone who isn't entrenched in one dogma or another. It was one of the things I missed most when I cancelled my Newsweek subscription. Not so much from being tired of its pages but more having less time to read them. I also suspect they stopped offering me the new subscriber rate.

Anyway, if you'd like a thoughtful, non-partisan, intelligent read on the reasons America is where it is and where it may find itself without thoughtful guidance, look no further.

--Jack

Laura June posted this piece on Engadget recently and I'd like to bring it to everyone's attention.

It's pretty clear that I believe in an individual's choice to use the internet in a way that doesn't supply the entire world with their name, their home address, and their mobile phone number. Part of the incredible richness that exists on the internet is exactly because people can use it without full disclosure. Sure, there are people that would rather have a cleaner, more scripted and controlled user experience. There are others that revel when hints of anarchy color things less black and white as well.

(Copyright Jackrabbitscrewball.com)

This clear division of attitudes made itself clear to me just this weekend as I was browsing the comments on a post about malicious android apps (also on Engadget). If you disregard the chaff comments (which are exactly why people decry anonymity on the internet) it's clear that there are two camps: those that prefer a guided controlled experience (iTunes apps) and those that prefer the freedom of an unguided market and accept the inherent risks (Google's Android market). Those same two camps will vote identically when asked if they approve of the TSA security measures before boarding an airplane. Full body scanners? It's either "Sign me up, I love being safe!" or "No thanks, I'd rather keep a shred of privacy and decency than give it up for unproven potential increases in safety."

You'll never reconcile these two groups, no matter how you ask the same question. All we can ever hope for are useful real world compromises that make the first group feel safer and take the least away from the second. I'll be opening comments up on this thread. Maybe we'll get a few that aren't anon spam too!

--Jack

Engadget link 3/27/2011: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/07/editorial-facebook-single-identities-and-the-right-to-be-anon/

Excerpted from NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press: "VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI has made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ in a new book, tackling one of the most controversial issues in Christianity.

In "Jesus of Nazareth" excerpts released Wednesday, Benedict uses a biblical and theological analysis to explain why it is not true that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus' death."

Well thank god that's all settled now. I'm sure the Jewish people are sighing with heartfelt relief that finally they are no longer to blame for Christianity's loss of its one and only prophet. Perhaps we can shift the blame to fanatical Islamic terrorists since they're clearly to blame for just about everything else. Aren't scapegoats grand?

The Pope's new book is now available for electronic download but all digital copies should be checked against the Vatican's posted MD5sum to ensure your copy has not been altered during transmission by the Scientologists.

--Jack