Comments: Laura - 2004-11-23 21:15:33 I realize that with such comments I cast myself as a crotchety fogey who needs to get "with it." But I remember an ink-dark story by, I think Ray Bradbury or maybe Orwell about government mind control. Stay with me here for a minute. The guy in the story was more intelligent than the norm, so he was implanted with a chip that emitted a deafening screech every 30 seconds or so. As a result, he was so constantly startled that he could never put a coherent thought together, and in that way his intelligence was thwarted so that it posed no threat to the powers that be. I crabbily view cells as providing the same function. There should be pools of reflective quiet in one's life in which one can ponder the intricacy of the trees mirrored in the water of the mind. As it were. Not a roiling puddle of constant upheaval, showing no clear image. At any rate. Time to go starch my petticoats and snuff out the candles. * * * * * * * * * * * * addiann - 2004-11-23 22:38:34 no, no, no, you're absolutely right on. I was laughing out loud at your reporting of the cellphone conversation, and then thinking, Yes! yes! at "reflective quiet." I also remember the same Bradbury story....It's delicious fun to start a shouting conversation with a friend (I've never tried it with no friend there) while sitting close by one of those folks describing his trip up the bus steps on a cell phone. Puts them right out of their gourd. And to the back of the bus. * * * * * * * * * * * * todd shokupanman - 2004-11-24 03:34:01 if you find American cell phone use bothersome and useless, try japan. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-24 09:52:45 Addiann: "describing his trip up the bus steps" made me laugh--that's so funny. Too true. The shouting match idea sounds very tempting. It's very cool to get a comment from Japan; thanks Todd! (Former local man Todd's very interesting blog about life in Japan is in my blogroll--check it out if you like). * * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2004-11-24 12:53:50 My favorite fictional cell phone story is about a NY private detective smartass who would repeat aloud any cell phone conversation he could overhear. My least favorite cell phone experience was hearing a man discussing personal financial information while sitting in a stall in a mensroom at La Guardia airport on 9-9-2001. He was a very loud man. It made me nervous, and I could hardly pee. The funniest thing I overheard someone say into a cell phone was, "...no, but I can hear you." I feel as if I have a brush with death or disaster every day when I am trapped between two motor vehicles in which drivers are yapping into phones. Are they speaking with each other, I wonder. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-24 13:03:59 That "no, but I can hear you" has my brain spinning. * * * * * * * * * * * * lynne - 2004-11-24 15:00:46 I have a cell phone. And 99% of the time, it is charged up but turned off in my purse. I had to buy one because I noticed that there were fewer and fewer payphones around. And it has come in handy at least twice when my car broke down. But, I agree. I have friends who gave up their land lines and only have cell phones and keep them on all the time so they are always available. I don't want to always be available. Luckily, there is an off button * * * * * * * * * * * * addiann - 2004-11-24 15:16:00 "no but I can hear you" is WONderfully funny. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-25 09:51:25 Certainly there are sensible cell users like Lynne who have a cell for practical and smart reasons such as a possible breakdown, when help would be needed. That's the ideal use for cells. I don't mind that, of course--just the danger posed by yakking drivers and the "no but I can hear you" contingent. I have to laugh again to reread that silly phrase. * * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: your name: your email: your url: back to the entry - Diaryland