internet - Connectivity

The digital divide in societies is often blamed on poverty, the difference between the have and the havenot's. Here in a beautiful but rather isolated service apartment in the outskirts of Los Angeles I can prove that there is more to it. Almost one thousand pricy apartments and no internet connection apart from two terminals in a very small business center.
I can now read my email - very slowly - through a dailup connection and sending email does not work. A full internet connection is only possible by getting a provider in place. Hardly an option for the few more days I'm going to stay here.
Also no Starbucks around.
Do not expect too much: will start traveling on Monday again and might only resume posting after I return to China where getting online is no problem.