A nation suffers after mobile phones are silenced - msnbc

Small businessmen can't take orders, children can't phone their parents and political activists can't call around to organize a decent-sized protest.

But many moviegoers are happy.

No, this isn't Lebanon and Syrians are not responsible. As I understand it, if you separated a Lebanese from his or her mobile phone you really would cause a kerfuffle.

But, seriously, this story does point up the revolutionary effect technological change in communications has had on recent, uh, revolutionary movements. Contagion and coordination are essential to an effective mass movement. Witness the Orange Revolution and the Cedar Revolution, to name a few. Text message a Lebanese if you want to get something done.

The effect of mobile phones on the supply of revolutions makes for a nice example of an increase in supply.