Ripton's Tik Root speaks this Sunday

This Sunday, in Ripton's church, Tik Root will describe his Syrian odyssey.
At 4 pm, come hear the story!








Charles Billings writes:

Tik Root, a Ripton resident and Middlebury College student, had just begun Arabic classes at Damascus University in Syria when, on March 18, he was arrested by the Syrian secret police. He spent the next two weeks in a secret police prison, held without any contact with the outside world. Tik would like to use this talk to thank the many members of the Addison County community who rallied around his cause, contributing in a variety of ways to efforts to secure his release. In the talk, he will describe his arrest, imprisonment, and eventual surprise release by the Syrian secret police. He will also share his perspective, gained during previous months of travel and study in the Middle East, on current events in the region.

Vermont stories in the Ripton church

Vermont folklorist Jane Beck shared wonderful stories last Sunday, in the community church.

Beck arranged these into categories based on common life experiences: family stories, stories about the coming of the automobile, touchstone tales. Stories about social change, "hard stories" about the worst things in life, "strong man" stories, even accounts of Robert Frost spanned a rich, moving hour.

Come tomorrow night for the town school's principal search!

There's an important event tomorrow night, a community forum where Riptonites can meet the person who might become our school's new principal.

Tracey Harrington will be available for conversation and questions Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30pm. All are not only invited, but encouraged to attend.

Fresh Web presence for Ripton Town

The Town of Ripton has a new Website. http://www.riptonvt.org/ has been carefully built by Sally Hoyler, and is fine work. Lots of useful, up-to-date information, presented in a lovely design.




This was built using a Web service called Squarespace, with which Sally and other Riptonites have had good experiences. It's easy to use, allows a lot of user control, and has solid support.

Looks good, Sally!

Tik Root back in Vermont

Good news: Tik Root is back in Vermont.

after long negotiations to establish he wasn’t a CIA agent or some other covert operative, Root caught a flight from Damascus to London and then another to Logan International Airport.

Previously.

Ripton local located in Syria

Tik Root was missing for several days this week. Friends and Ripton family couldn't find him in Syria, while politcal protests in that nation surged into social unrest.

He's been located today, "in the hands of the Syrian authorities, who are currently responsible for him", according to the Facebook page created in his honor.

Please follow that Facebook page, and send your support to the Roots!

New Fairpoint broadband pricing: some research

Some Ripton residents recently received a mailing advertising Fairpoint’s new internet service plans.

What do these new plans offer, and how much do they cost? One Ripton resident did some research via phone, email, Web, and print. This took some time and effort, since there wasn't a single Web page or printed document with the information.

Here’s what was learned about the real costs.

The short version: Fairpoint’s low-cost pricing ( $16/month first year discount good through April 30th) is a lure, a short-term deal to lock us into more expensive plans.

This plays out through different packages:

• The “Double Play Bundle” - phone & internet, no voicemail ("Fairpoint Exchange Select package"), For a 1-year contract, the costs are: $60.99 plus taxes/surcharges (ave. $10) = $70.99/month. If you maintain that service for a second year, the cost rises again, to $76.99 + taxes/surcharges, or $86.99/month.
• "Double Play” plus voicemail? Monthly charges go up to $65.99 plus taxes/surcharges (taxes average $10), or $75.99, for that first year. Second year: $81.99 + taxes/surcharges (ave. $10) = $91.99 per month.
• The cheapest plan simply adds internet to your existing phone plan. The internet fee is $19.99 per month, plus whatever your phone bill is. That’s for the first year. After that, the internet fee goes up to $35.99, plus your phone bill.
• Internet only, without any phone service? No annual contracts, just month to month billing, at $40.99.
• A "TriplePlay Bundle": "TriplePlay Bundle" : without voicemail: $77.99 per month (plus taxes and surcharges) for the first 12 months, then $124.99/month (plus taxes and surchrges). If you want voicemail, the price increases by $5/month to $82.99 and $129.99 respectively.

These prices might not apply next year, as there is no guarantee the price won't go up after the first 12 months.

There are three additional charges which can apply across all of these plans. For example,

• Inside wire guard: add $3.99/month
• Wireless router: $59.99 (or you can buy your own)
• Early termination of contract: $79
  
  

Moreover, if you switch to one of these plans, the billing cycle changes. Instead of being billed for the previous month, you're billed for the next month, so the first bill will be especially high.

Any thoughts? more information?
(some edits for clarity)