In looking for a new isp, as the umich hookup is simply no longer adequate for my gaming experience (Curse you America's Army 1.9.0! version 1.7.0 worked just fine on my old 28,800 hookup!), I stumbld across MetConnect, a free ISP. No ads, no propriatary software, no nothing. And, depending on my luck, usually a 53.4K hookup. Call me a cynic, but there's no such thing as free. I've been waiting with baited breath for the charges to roll in. Toll charges on the phone bill. Credit card statements dissappearing from my mail. Spam filling up my mailbox. And to my suprise, nothing to report so far! That said, I think MetConnect is great. Mostly stable connection; fast speeds; not really being able to connect Friday, Saterday, and Sunday nights (It's not a perfect isp, there are problems); but best of all the price seems to be free. Of course, it's still no good for my primary purpose: playing America's Army. The streaming of data is good enough to watch a few rounds, but I'll be lucky to play 2 rounds before I get a lag disconnect. I'll probably be switching to http://www.access4less.net/ next month and see how that plays out. I'm getting very sick of watching a round play out for 10 minutes, getting into a round for 3 minutes, and then getting a lag disconnect. . . . . . . . . . . It comes as quite the shocker that George Plimpton has just passed away. I had just listenned to him give the rather long and entertaining toast for our school's Opening Centennial Reception. It was rather funny, and I looked forward to hearing about all the events from 1903 (the joke of the toast, the school was founded in 1904, yet the centennial celebrations are this year, 2003). It's really too bad.