I’ve been traveling this past week, visiting some dear friends in America’s heartland near the confluence of the mighty Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. As I tour southern Illinois, I’m struck by the history of that mystical area, from the infamous Cave-in-Rock to the life of Samuel Clemens my favorite American author. Where’s my high speed connection?

As the consummate “needing to be connected” geek, I was also paying attention to where I could find adequate Internet access. I thought I had all contingencies (WiFi, iPhone, and data card) covered, as I was headed deep into the “digital divide”. Little did I know the only option on some occasions would be an analog wired connection...