"Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us." (Psalm 2: 3)

Mid-Continent Public Library, Claycomo Branch
309 NE U. S. 69, Claycomo

802.11g
SSID: MCPLIBRARY.FREE.WIFI

At last, at long last, it appears that Mid-Continent has unequivocably joined the free world. Oh, the Wayport/AT&T SSIDs are still here for those of you nostalgic for them, but hook into the library's once you're up and running and you can just boot and scoot (thanks for that, Macenstein-it's one of the better lines you've come up with here)-free and open (and apparently either unfiltered or not so heavily as to be subject to overblocking).

I managed to find a table next to the wall with a pair of convenient power outlets in the back (go to your left as you come in and go all the way back into the corner), but I think I'd plan on going cordless for an extended stay just to be safe.

And heaven only knows if all of Mid-Continent's other locations have converted yet-unless any of you do.

I just hope Cass County and KCK-now the only unwired library systems in the metro with closed networks-will take the hint.

Not that I'd have sat there and eaten the whole 20-piece bucket, mind you...

An open letter to the nice folks, whoever and wherever they are, currently responsible for upholding the legacy of Colonel Harlan Sanders at KFC:

Dear Folks: Dropped in at one of your nearby locations to pick up a weekend's worth and while I was waiting for it I just thought I'd pull out my finder and see how good a job you were doing in protecting those vulnerable credit card numbers. You know-hidden SSID, WPA instead of WEP and all that. Well...imagine my surprise upon coming across a wide-open 802.11g access point with a SSID that let's just say would be quite familiar to both of us.

Now, what would you say should have been the proper response of the restaurant's manager upon being informed of my find and asked whether it's intended for customer use? Should it have been:

1.) "Why yes, we've just implemented that. In fact, here's a little brochure explaining how to log on and detailing our terms of service. Sorry we haven't gotten around to putting up the window stickers to let everyone know about it yet."

Or, perhaps:

2.) "Thanks for pointing that out. We'll shut that down and get hold of our IT department as soon as we can to properly secure that. Again, thanks for looking out for us and our customers."

I think we'd all agree that the one response I should NOT have heard is:

3.) "Duh..."