Text 9866, 118 rader
Skriven 2008-07-01 08:18:00 av DAVE DRUM (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: Re: CELL PHONIES
========================
-=> GLEN JAMIESON wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 DD> Since what these people are selling is, at root, a convenience item.

 GJ> Their main target is the moneyed teens and near-teens, as indicated by
 GJ> the available choice of down-loadable ring-tones - all modern "idols".

Well, of course. They will spend extra money (their parents, likely) on such
ephemeral things as the trip-hop bit of top 40 noise of the moment. And they
are much more "marketable" than old, experienced citizens like us who have been
around the block a time or two.

 GJ> I looked, but couldn't find Beethoven's 5th listed anywhere.

Why would you want the Morse code for the letter "V" as a ring tone?

 DD> They want to make it seem a super-bargain and uber-useful. I note that
 DD> they always hire an extremely fast talking announcer to zip through the
 DD> disclaimers and gotchas so as to fullfill the legal requirements
 DD> without telling anyone anything of substance. I researched my cell

 GJ> I have a mute button to deal with them.

That's too much trouble and would wear out the mute button. And another reason
that I do not watch a lot of TeeVee. and on the radio - I have this mental
thing that automatically tunes them out.

 DD> service for quite a while before selecting my current pay-as-you-go
 DD> Virgin Mobile deal.

 GJ> After inheriting several phones of increasing complexity from my kids,
 GJ> I actually bought a simple, cheap, basic one a year ago.  To get it at
 GJ> the cheap price I foolishly accepted a conversion from Vodafone to
 GJ> Optus.  That worked in USA, but I was disgusted to find it was useless
 GJ> in New Zealand (and Indonesia and Canadia).  I also use the pre-pay
 GJ> system, and most of my communications are in long-distance SMS, so the
 GJ> "Plans" are not relevant for me.  When I use up my present pre-payment
 GJ> I will probably change back to Vodafone or try Virgin.

If you wade through all the kiddie stuff on their web site you will find a
range of phones like my Kyocera (Qualcomm) Oyster which sold for U$20 with free
shipping AND included U$20 of free air-time ... effectively a free telephone.

According to my calculations - I average under U$8/month in call phone costs.
Which, given the convenience factor of the cell phone, ain't too bad.

 DD> The same sort of thing is developing in the VOIP (Internet phone)
 DD> field - with Skype and Vonage acting as if they are the only ones in
 DD> the field and spending mega-bucks on adverts ... which has assured that
 DD> neither has yet turned a profit. Whilst other, less well known services
 DD> offer more useful features at less money per month, advertise little
 DD> and make money for their principals.

 GJ> When I progress to Broadband I might look at that, but for the present,
 GJ> the combination of Email and SMS for long distance, and steam phone for
 GJ> local works well enough for me.  My kids call me much more often than I
 GJ> call them; usually, "Where are you and what are you doing?", late at
 GJ> night when they can't get me on the fixed phone.  They don't trust me!

As I have DSL via the telco I will continue with my wired "land line" service.
If I were to go with a VOIP service it would be to talk internationally for
cheap - U$18.95/mo will give me unlimited calling to 102 countries (all of
Europe, Australia, NZ, Philipines, much of SE Asia, India, Japan, most of the
South American continent, Mexico and Central America). However, I don't see any
business enterprise on my horizon that would require me to maintain telephone
contact in all (or any) of those places.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Carciofi Alla Romana (Artichokes With Garlic & Mint)
 Categories: Vegetables, Wine, Citrus
      Yield: 5 servings
 
    1/2 c  Extra virgin olive oil
     20    Baby artichokes; leaves
           - trimmed down to the yellow
           - part, stems peeled and
           - greenish tops cut to the
           - yellow part
      6 cl Garlic; chopped
      4    Fresh mint sprigs; leaves
           - only
    1/2 ts Salt
    1/2 c  Dry, unoaked white wine or
           - water
      1 lg Lemon
 
  This delicious recipe for braised Roman artichokes comes
  from "Rome at Home" (Broadway Books, 2004), by Suzanne
  Dunaway. Serve as an antipasti with bread to sop up the
  mint- and garlic-infused olive oil. The dish can be prepared
  several days in advance and kept refrigerated; bring to room
  temperature before serving.
  
  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the
  artichokes, cutting each in half if you would like more
  surface area to be browned. Cook for a few minutes until
  golden, turning once, then add the garlic, mint leaves and
  salt. Cover and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, then add the wine
  or water, lower the heat, cover and continue cooking for 15
  to 20 minutes, until the artichokes are very tender.
  
  Squeeze the lemon juice over the artichokes and serve at room
  temperature with the sauce.
  
  Serves 4 to 6
  
  URL: http://sfgate.com
  
  MM Format by Dave Drum - 03 April 2008
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... "A *specific* ocean?  Which one?  Be more *Pacific*!" -- Crow
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