I mentioned that San Pedro, Belize has three Internet cafes, which is not bad for an island town with mostly sand streets filled with golf carts, and bicycles.
I popped into one and found an array of no-name computers with wobbly 15" color displays. But the connection speed was fast, and there were at least three teenage girls in their bathing suits hunched over their respective screens with several IM windows open, typing feverishly.
The music was a muted, soothing variety of techno-dance music and the soft purple lighting was obviously intended to compliment the music. I asked the proprietor "how much for the Internet?"
He opened his arms and motioned for me to sit, saying in a thick Russian accent "First, you tell me what you want to drink. Perhaps some nice coffee?"
I ordered a diet coke and my friend Kemper ordered a regular coke. I asked the Russian if one could use their own computer. He excitedly said, "yes, we have customers...they come seet at bar and enjoy the nice coffee. The computers, we have the hookup behind bar so they can have the coffee and relax."
I sat at one of the computers away from the bar for 15 minutes with my coke and checked E-mail at work. Everything was quiet. I got up to pay and asked how much. "Six dollars Belize for the Internet," he informed me (that's exactly $3 US currency). Not what you'd call cheap in the US, but on the small island that's the going rate. And people gladly pay it.
I asked the Russian if he planned to install wireless. He shook his head disapprovingly. "What I do that for? The people have to have the card for that." I suggested that some might have "the card" in their own computer. He brightened and said "yes, if they have their own computer we put them here at the bar, where they can have some nice coffee..."
Outside, in the sandy street, a three legged dog was chasing a small chicken around in circles.
I really like technology, and I think it will revolutionize the practice of law. Mostly it will be good, but sometimes it will create problems. What sort of problems? It would take too long to explain here on the main page so just read this essay that I wrote.
4:26:01 PM
I mentioned that San Pedro, Belize has three Internet cafes, which is not bad for an island town with mostly sand streets filled with golf carts, and bicycles.
