thanks, New York Times

Thursday, August 12, 2004, at 05:07AM

By Eric Richardson

Is it odd that the New York Times is telling me about free wifi in my neighborhood? I ran across a story today, mostly fluff, talking about telco responses to people stealing wifi (mooching off neighbors). I don't really care about that part so much, but the very bottom contained the part I was interested in:

Two blocks from my apartment is the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and in it is a coffee bar where a customer can order an exceptional latte. The other day I spotted a notice there advertising free Internet access for Wi-Fi users.

I took it as a sign that since my days of Internet mooching were over, for whatever reason, maybe I just needed to start hanging out in this lovely space with my laptop. Better coffee than Starbucks, and no access charge. And no guilt, either. Life isn't so bad in the Wi-Fi age, after all.

Hmmm... Definitely worth checking out.