The six governors, who include those covering La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, the three main cities, took exception to a bill that would allow the central government to scrutinise the governors' accounts and allow the Congress to sack them.

ECONOMIST: The opposition takes on Morales

While mobile phone bills that amount to tens of thousands of dollars are certainly the exception, "bill shock" appears to be a relatively common occurrence.

CNN: U.S. aims to regulate mobile 'bill shock'

The latest exception to this rule comes from none other than Bill Gates, who recently praised Apple's iPod, calling it "phenomenal, unbelievable, fantastic" in front of an audience at Stanford University, California.

ENGADGET: Gates praises iPod, labels Zune a "modest" competitor