Here let me post it:

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.

In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network. Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network. Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand. Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

This new option goes beyond just a change in the design, delivery, purchase, and provisioning of wireless devices and applications.

“This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices – one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth,” said Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer. “Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model, but rather adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience.”

Verizon Wireless will continue to provide a full-service offering, from retail stores where customers can shop, to 24/7 customer service and technical support, to an easy-to-use handset interface and optimized software applications.

While most Verizon Wireless customers prefer the convenience of full service, the company is listening through today’s announcement to a small but growing number of customers who want another choice without full service.

Both full-service and “bring-your-own” customers will have the advantage of using America’s most reliable network.

Following publication of technical standards, Verizon Wireless will host a conference to explain the standards and get input from the development community on how to achieve the company’s goals for network performance while making it easy for them to deliver devices.

Verizon Wireless has a track record of listening to customers and transforming entrenched industry practices based on those customer needs. The company parted with the industry last year when it introduced pro-rated early termination fees, and in 2004 when it refused to participate in a wireless directory when customers said they didn’t want one. Verizon Wireless also broke with “wireless tradition” when it supported local number portability because customers wanted the freedom to take their number if they switched service providers. Such responsiveness to customers has earned Verizon Wireless the strongest brand reputation in the industry.

So by definition, these certified and tested devices will provide less than full Verizon service, regardless of their function. Moreover the specs for qualification of the certification is left up to the carrier so a device can theoretically comply on paper, it still has to perform on the network the way Verizon wants it to.

Seemed dull, built for indoor use. Low contrast. Did not like the flashing when it flips a page. Light, feels solid, maybe too solid. Looks like better ergo and feel than this unit here. Ninjas could kill you frisbee style with it. Also I know I'd use it as a coaster and wreck it sooner or later.

And trust me I'm the first person to scream for 'law enforcement' reform, sentencing changes and upending the whole system. But by and large MOST people who screw it up screw up because of something they did or did not do, willfully. We can quibble about why people go to jail and for how long but we can't argue that people DO in fact take drugs, break into cars, drop out, get pregnant, are lazy, too proud and a million other things that cause them to fail. We can help them, we can punish them less. We can be reasonable.

But seriously, don't go to court stinking of whiskey when you're there to answer for a DUI. Don't be a 10th grade drop out. Don't smoke crack. Don't beat your pregnant 16 year old girlfriend. Don't get tasered. Don't skip on probation. Don't rob people. Wake up everyday you have work and go to work. And if you need work, get up everyday and look for work until you have a job. Don't smoke weed on the job. Don't steal from your employer. Don't lend your cousin your trailer to cook meth. Don't throw bricks at someone's house. Take your meds. Don't sell them. Dress your kids in the morning feed them breakfast and get them on the bus. Make sure they have coats, and lunches and when they come home some ugly uncle isn't there to molest them.

We have come to the point I'm afraid where functioning at all is optional and doing the right thing is a breakthrough. It's not a breakthrough, it's your damn job. For your kids, for you. It's ugly and dreary and hard work. It can be depressing. It's your responsibility as a human being with self respect and dignity and humanity to be thus. Black, White, no matter. If you're trash you're trash. And unless and until you are seriously ill or handicapped that's your life to manage through.

Poverty is a ugly word. It should be.

From all the anti capital punishment liberals cheering, yes cheering for the imposition of a capital sentence on a person for the crime of killing an animal. Mark my words.

Because cradle to grave coddling works if people are open to being coddled and see an upside to being coddled. Otherwise you're, well, you're where you are today in an endless cycle of handwringing about an intractable problem because all you've done is micro managed a group of a people who don't truly appreciate being treated like zoo animals.