Phyllis Korkki has an interesting article in today's (the 21st) print edition of the Times, and last night's internet edition, entitled:
Users Are Tossing Their Landlines Overboard
Still have a landline? You’re showing your age. The young, hip, cool people have cellphones only, and that is bad news for traditional phone providers. In a survey of Internet users, JupiterResearch found that 12 percent "do not subscribe to fixed voice service, and nearly two-thirds of them are ages 18 to 34."
Wow. Way t'nail down the culture, Ms. Korkki... d'you think that might have some impact on political polling? Or maybe not as much as reality? More?
I mean, how behind the times is this?
I went cell-phone only in 1999. Am I still? No.
In fact, I gave up my cell-phone this year - in favor of a SkypeIn account. I get unlimited US and Canadian minutes, voicemail, and a phone number wherever I want it (that is, in any area code I want it), for $60 a year.
When I'm at home, I get my calls - to my phone number - on my computer. When I'm on the road I get my calls on my notebook. If I think I need to be connected to the WoP (World of Phones [TM]) on the street, I leave my Nokia N800 on. I have Aircrack-ng installed, and it seems to find open networks just fine.
Sixty bucks a year.
I wonder how many people there are like me? And - if polling of cell-phone only people is as pathetic as it appears to be - how non-existently are people like me reflected in the polls? How many of us are there?
Oh... I'm an Obama supporter. Duh.
But I guess I'm showing my age; huh, Ms. Korkki?
I mean, at 57 years old, I reckon I should be locked in to the ol' tin can and string set-up. Right?
I suppose I'll just slink away north; and find an ice floe I can float away on, to the well-deserved doom of my decrepitude.
Oh wait... not too many ice floes left, are there?