Loud and Clear

Again, the news is full of stories about teens who can’t control their text messaging and their parents who don’t give a damn.

On Tuesday, Congress held a hearing about the outrageous fees the phone companies charge for individual texts – maybe 20 cents for each message when it only costs them less than a penny. Of course, they are trying to get people to sign up for the low-cost, higher volume plans, but I just don’t understand sentences like this from the local Fox channel report:

Gail Lundberg avoided a very expensive lesson in her teen's texting prowess.

"8,211 texts, for her alone, in one month," she said, pointing to her sheepish daughter sitting next to her. Gail says if they didn't have an inclusive plan, the bill per message would have been $1,600 dollars. Instead, daughter Lindsey can tap away, and Gail knows exactly how much it will cost her.”

I think, and I am sure most of you agree, that young Lindsey would learn more from an even more expensive and more useful plan -- a sound paddling that would answer once and for all the eternal question: “Can you hear me, NOW?”