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  • So Jealous

    • 8 out of 10
    • Tegan and Sara
    • So Jealous is the third album from these sisters, and easily the one to single out for an introduction to their music. Some people may not get on board with their vocal styles, which are slightly

  • 2112

    • 10 out of 10
    • Rush
    • We all know it, right? Well, ya just gotta have it. 2112 finally showed Rush out on their own, doing their own thing, and doing it well, IMHO.
  • Jagged Little Pill (Acoustic)

    • 6 out of 10
    • Alanis Morissette
    • Ten years after the original release, comes the traditional celebratory acoustic re-recording. The album has held up remarkably well. While it is not as meaningful to me as it was when I was sixteen,
  • Haunted

    • 10 out of 10
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    • Dropping like a bomb on some of the blah musical offerings of her contemporaries, Haunted was one of the best albums of 2000, obliterating the competition.

      Ostensibly a tie-in to her brot

  • The Dresden Dolls

    • 10 out of 10
    • The Dresden Dolls
    • The energetic duet of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione that make up the Dresden Dolls have created a wonderfully haunting sound in their self-titled album. They have been able to construct an imme

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News

Senate Seeks to Alter Wireless Industry Rules

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is the lead sponsor of a sweeping bill that seeks to dramatically change the wireless industry, according to RCRWireless News on Thursday.

The bill, the "Cellphone Consumer Empowerment Act of 2007," which could be introduced on Friday seeks to set federal standards govering contracts and billing service quality. It also directs the FCC to submit to Congress a study on the effect of handset locking on consumer behavior and competition.

�The rules governing our wireless industry are a relic of the 1980s, when cellphones were a luxury item that fit into a briefcase instead of a pocket,� said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. "Early termination fees are a family budget-buster; families should be able to terminate service without outrageous fees; know if their cellphone will work on their drives and in their home and office; and understand what to expect in their monthly bills once you pile on charges and fees. It�s a simple matter of fairness."

Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is the co-sponsor. The two proponents noted that complaints to the FCC by wireless customers double between 2003 and 2005.

The bill also seeks to remedy the situation in which consumer billing statements appear to reflect federal fees when, in fact, they are operations costs. "Anyone who looks at a cellphone bill knows it�s a hodge-podge of fees and surcharges that supposedly covers regulatory or administrative costs. The reality is, often these are nothing more than operating costs that companies are passing on to the consumer disguised as fees and taxes," said Senator Rockefeller. "It�s high time to protect cellphone users from these deceptive billing practices."

Mr. Steve Largent, president of the CTIA, a cell phone association, didn’t agree with the legislation and claimed that consumer complaints are going down lately.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) has a favorable view of the legitlation. "Both senators should be commended for recognizing the clear consumer benefits of having multiple cops on the beat and, importantly, a state consumer complaint option regarding their wireless service," said NARUC Telecommunications Committee Chairman Tony Clark of North Dakota.

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