-=> JIM WELLER wrote to MICHAEL LOO <=-

 ML> in Lilli's area / it is / a monopolistic venture.

 JW> in Canada, the CRTC has the power to regulate monopolies fairly
 JW> effectively, especially when it comes to rates.

 ML> See, Lilli's is on the outskirts of an unincorporated
 ML> CDP and thus outside the purview of government smaller
 ML> than the county level.

 JW> That would explain her loose or non-existent zoning but cable and
 JW> internet oversight is a federal not a local responsibility. Your
 JW> equivalent to the CRTC Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommun-
 JW> ications Commission) is the FCC.

The only thing in the purview of local gummints WRT communications (ie
cable, internet, wired telephone) is the operating franchise. The 
operating rules and regs are, as you note, under Uncle Charlie (the FCC) 

 ML> She finally got rid of her cable
 ML> TV, but they tried to get rid of her Internet (for her
 ML> that would be a disaster), having the lock on that, too.

 JW> I had no problem at all dropping cable TV while retaining cable
 JW> internet.

Even if they pile a wad of buffalo bagels in her path there are several
companies in the US offering satellite internet. My brother has that at
his house because AT&T doesn't have DSL available at his address and he
refuses to pay $cumca$t U$500 to bring a "drop" to his house from across
the street.

The downside is that, like the satellite TV, the satellite internet is
subject to "rain out" interruptions. That is, excess moisture in the air 
attenuating the signal to the point of unusability. The internet signal
requires more bandwidth than the TeeVee signal - so it rains out more
easily. When the DishNet TV rains out it's a real frog strangler. Bv)=

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Snails w/Frogs' Legs (Escargots Aux Grenouilles)
 Categories: Game, Exotics, Wine, Dairy
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
     48    Burgundy snails
           Court bouillon
      4    Shallots
           Chives
    3/4 c  White Macon wine
     24 lg Frog's legs
    1/2 c  Milk
           Flour
      4 tb Butter
           Salt & pepper
           Chopped parsley; garnish
 
  Cook the snails in advance in a court bouillon, then
  remove them from their shells. [There's a description
  of court bouillon in "Joy of Cooking." Basically, a
  court bouillon is an aromatic liquid or stock, often
  containing wine, vinegar or lemon juice, used mainly
  for cooking fish and shellfish, but also sometimes
  white offal (variety meats) and some white meats.]
  
  Chop them, together with the peeled shallots and a
  small bunch of well-washed chives. Place these
  ingredients in a saucepan with the wine, cover and
  simmer for 1 hour.
  
  Meanwhile, soak the frogs' legs in the milk for 1
  hour. Drain them, then roll in flour and saute in
  the butter in a frying pan over a brisk heat for 10
  minutes. Add the snails, together with their cooking
  juices, and season with salt & pepper. Turn up the
  heat and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  
  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
  
  Looking at the ingredients, I figure that this'll
  feed 4 as a main course or 8 as an appetizer. - UDD
  
  From "Larousse Traditional French Cooking."
  
  From: http://www.recipesource.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
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