You know this is "nearby third world" because: (1) there was no redundancy
in the system (other than a string and several tin cans), thus the "third
world" and (2) because a replacement amplifier could be ordered and lost on
a truck in the course of a day, thus nearby. Of course, if the whole world
wasn't obsessed with believing the fiction of advertisements -- and hence
prone to adopt the technology most forcefully sold (i.e., MS Windows, etc.)
-- we could all have Iridium satellite phones. And, wouldn't have to worry
about microwave towers, hiding cell towers with plastic conifer branches,
and so on. But, we would need to worry more about meddling aliens and their
propensity to throw things at bits of technology circling the earth. Ken,
don't you know something about this....

Sign me, if I were a Cuban here without papers I would be (according to the
local newscasters):

Alien Elian (pron. alien alien)

-----Original Message-----
From: J Cuyler Page [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 12:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 3rd World e-life in North America


Thought you city slickers might like to see what e-life is like out here in
the nearby 3rd World.   Amazing to be lapping away and then get these Living
History reminders that make you feel like one of Alexander Graham Bell's
team of electic explorers shouting  "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB !"   Oops, to
much humidity today, there goes the www.


Message in today's mail :
On Thursday, we experienced a failure of an amplifier at one of  our
microwave towers between Keremeos and Penticton, and spent most of the day
running on our SLOW telephone back-up system. A new amplifier was ordered
and should arrive in Keremeos on Saturday.

On Thursday night we attempted to work around the problem and were able to
operate back through the microwave system, although at a reduced speed.

On Friday afternoon the microwave link running without amplifier failed to
push through the increased humidity in the air and stoped working. We were
unable to make the microwave system work at an acceptable level.  On Friday
evening, we went back to our slow telephone back-up system. Our telephone
link between Keremeos and Penticton was disconnected a number of times, but
by 8:30 p.m. it seems that we finally got connected through a decent
telephone line.

Right now, the email is coming through but surfing the net is impossibly
slow. We expect this problem to be solved by noon or early afternoon on
Saturday.

We are really sorry and apologize for this inconvenience and disruption of
service.

PS: The amplifier didn't arrive on Saturday and the transport company office
will not be open again until Monday to try to find out where it went.