Are limited plans or quasi-unlimited plans for data a better idea?

Last year, AT&T killed their unlimited data plans, just before the release of the iPhone 4. Now, it is becoming clear that Verizon is going to kill their unlimited data plans prior to the release of the next iPhone. As a power-user of my iPhone and iPad, this has caused me considerable upset. While I am grandfathered into the unlimited plans on AT&T (for now), no other users like me can ever get this kind of plan and if I ever want to interrupt my service for any reason (i.e. hospital stay, financial hardship) there is no way for me to get it back. It seems like a use of the duopoly power that AT&T and Verizon hold over the American cellular market.

But as I fumed and thought about this, I realized that I was only looking at this at a very shallow level. The fact is no one ever offered truly unlimited plans. Like your home internet, every "unlimited" plan has a limit after which the company will throttle your traffic or cut you off entirely. Under the "unlimited" monicker, they simply won't tell you what that limit is. Instead, one day after a bout of downloading (hopefully) legal video, you'll find your internet connection cut with a message to "contact us immediately". The saving grace of the "unlimited" plan is the cap is usually flexible, so if they have a (for instance) unspoken 4 GB cap and you hit 5 GB one month and 2 GB the next, most companies are forgiving. Whereas under a "limited" plan, as soon as you hit your cap you are either cut off or double-charged.

So, I ask Mod-Bloggers, which do you prefer and why? An "unlimited" plan which is really just "limited but we won't tell you how" or a limited plan where at least you can plan your usage? Do you prefer a false sense of security or honesty? Comment here or vote in the poll to the right.

(And no, it isn't fair to answer "I don't have a data plan, so there!" Because it is likely you at least have a dial-up or broadband internet service that got you to Mod-Blog. Same issue.)

My thoughts on May 21st "Doomsday"

I have been trying to ignore the Family Radio madness predicting Doomsday on May 21, for fear of giving a false prophet publicity. But now it is all over the news everywhere, so my little blog is not adding to the noise.

My thoughts?

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. - Matthew 24:36

And also...

For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. - 1 Thessalonians 5:2

So, first, anyone who claims to know when "the End" will come is claiming to have knowledge the Jesus Himself did not have. But, second, all Christians are called upon to live as though Jesus were returning any second.

Please, be kind on May 22 when we all wake up and find the world still here. There will be many people disillusioned and shocked that they were wrong. And most of them were not deceivers - they were deceived!

Secret Service: "Kill" Claims Are False

Hat tip to Nick on this one. I posted an article yesterday decrying the antipathy and extremism that is gripping some corners of the GOP, as they look defeat square in the eye in the presidential election. Among those signs were multiple reports of people yelling "Kill" at McCain/Palin rallies. The Secret Sevice is now saying the claims are wrong. They have investigated them, and so far the only witnesses to the cry are the reporters who posted the stories. Something that made such a splash at the debate last night should be better investigated.

Honestly, I would have liked to hear McCain be a little more strong in his condemnation the allegation, either way. There has been too much extremism on both sides the last 4 years.

Hillary speechifies another Falsehood

How long can it be until EVERY story told by Hillary Clinton is scrutinized? This time a health care story that Clinton has used several times as evidence of an insurance crisis is shown to be false. The case cited as proof of the foolishness of the insurance system in treating the uninsured, turned out on later scrutiny to be about a woman who WAS insured and who was never refused treatment.

One has to wonder if the Democrats are really ready for four more years of this kind of thing?

Reality Check: Barack Obama is a Christian

I am getting very tired of the meme running around that Barack Obama is a Muslim. It has been circulating the Web, and being used by some people as a reason NOT to vote for him. And figures as prominent as Ross Perot have been caught repeating the line, because they assume it is true.

IT IS NOT TRUE. Here is his church's website. Barack Obama is at least a nominal Christian, and has been a regular attender at this church for over 20 years. Please pass that along to ANYONE who tries to peddle the "Obama is a Muslim" meme.

That is not to say there are not reasons to NOT vote for Senator Obama. His church is definitely NOT mainstream, and I was unable to find (in a quick search) any idea of their Christology or doctrine of salvation. Their ideas are definitely far off from my own. So, criticize the man for the beliefs he actually holds, not for beliefs others try to place upon him.

And, for the record, no one has yet really given me an idea of why a liberal Muslim would be any worse a leader for our national than a Mormon (Romney), Deist (Washington, Jefferson), or Catholic (Kennedy). Or even a Born-Again Christian (George W. Bush).

Edited 3:11 PM to remove quotes around "Christian" in the title. As Sean showed, it came across differently than I intended.

Editted 4:22 PM. People have brought up the rumors that Obama took his oath on the Koran. NOT TRUE. Obama was sworn in on a Bible. Keith Ellison was the Muslim congressman who was sworn in on a Koran. According to my research, he is the only person to do in history.