Random Thoughts - February 8, 2011

One thing that is missed in the ongoing brouhaha over Usage Based Billing for the Internet here in Canada is that Bell has given us an idea as to the cost of what 1 GB of transferred data would cost. With their cap system already in place, Bell offers a 40 GB "Insurance Policy" at a flat rate of $5. This is offered regardless of whether your cap is 25 GB, or 75 GB.

If you assume that Bell is not offering this Insurance Policy at less than cost(which I thinking is a safe assumption), we can calculate that 1 GB of transferred data costs less than $ 0.125 (as $5 / 40GB = 0.125 $/GB). If that's the case, why are they charging overage fees at 16-24x that rate? Heck, if the goal is to move to a true Usage Based Billing system, why not charge, say $25 for the actual connection to Bell's internet connection, then charge $0.15 per GB transferred?

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One surprising development coming from the coverage of the UBB fiasco is to see where the national newspapers have come down. The Globe and Mail, owned in part by large ISP - and main proponent of UBB - Bell, has been anti-UBB, going so far as to publish an editorial condemning the decision of CRTC. Meanwhile, the National Post, right-wing and supporter of free-market based economic policies, have carried Bell's water for this issue, generally publishing pro-UBB pieces while paying lip service to the anti-UBB group.

This is the opposite than you would expect given both papers' ownership and editorial policies. It's fascinating to watch, and it will be interesting to see if either side changes their position as time goes on.

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Quick links:

• Larry Granillo of Baseball Prospectus determines which game Ferris Bueller attended on his day off.


• The wife of the British Parliment's Speaker of the House posed provocatively for a British newspaper. She also says their taxpayer paid residence has a sexy view. She also admits to previously being a binge drinker and having one night stands prior to being married. This causes a stir in British politics, with the pictures being referred to as "nude" (though she is covered by a bedsheet) and her single life (prior to being married and being in the limelight) is pilloried. All this is ridiculous - she is guilty of very bad judgement, but not much else.


• I'm floored by these findings: Popular kids more likely to be bullies. Of course they are - part of what makes bullies successful is the validation of their actions by their peers. If they are popular, they are more likely to get that validation, which then emboldens them even more, creating a never ending loop of bullying.


• And finally, Rick Mercer exposes Gino Vannelli's sinister ambitions. He's only in it for himself! (h/t to Aaron Wherry)