As we slog through the media-frenzy of election run-up, Alane reports that she performed her civic duty this week: responding to a telephone survey on voter opinion. Well, "responding" may be too generous a word, as she hit touch-tone buttons for maximum creativity. An accurate reflection of her positions? Not quite. I'm surprised she even answered that phone -- it's the old copper wire line on the local loop of the old phone company and we just about never use it (we need it to support our security/monitoring system). It does ring occasionally -- typically when I'm in the middle of something. I let it ring. When I do answer it is almost always a wrong number or a telemarketer -- when it's the latter I try to put one of the boys on the line to chat. They need phone time too! Pretty much all our voice communication goes out over the cable line, and the service there has been pretty good. I've got Skype running too and it has pretty good voice quality and the bonus of video... So I feel kind-a bad for the old phone company... because someday I'm going to upgrade my security system and not even need that nuisance line anymore. And I suspect many others have already gotten themselves to that point.