I read a recent GigaOM post today by Om Malik about connectivity to work during summer vacations. The post was in response to a recent survey by LogMeIn (via LinkedIn) asking “Do you plan to stay connected during your summer vacation?” Om noted, “A surprising 85 percent of small business workers said they planned to stay connected during summer vacation, and 60 percent intended to check email and voicemail at least once a day.”

I’m definitely guilty of that, even when I am out of the country. My wife and kids have gotten used to having my BlackBerry as an extra guest on the beach and my laptop as a nightlight in hotel rooms. But I’m not complaining. As you all know, I’m a huge broadband advocate and I am grateful to have the option to be connected wherever, whenever.

If the broadband stimulus program has taught us anything, it’s that this is not the case everywhere in the U.S. Businesses and consumers alike across the country, in every state, are forced to make do with dial up connections, at best, and in some cases, no Internet at all.

At the end of his post, Om noted – “P.S. Lately, I have been experimenting with no computer usage for 10 hours a day. That self-imposed Internet diet is helping me think clearly.”

Oh great, so I guess this means now I need TWO diets??

I hope that through the broadband stimulus, everyone across the U.S. that wants high-speed Internet will have the option to use it – and go on a “self-imposed Internet diet” like Om whenever they please.

Do you plan to stay connected to work during your summer vacation this year? Do you think the broadband stimulus will help close the digital divide in the U.S.?