The fall of the phone

[Queue]

I'm still looking for a decent Star Trek communicator-shaped cell phone. ;-)

I agree that not having a landline is silly. How do you call 911 with your cellphone out of charge and no landline, or with a bad signal???

Like this?

 

[Queue]

Oh, and Clark Kent has no place to change into...

Sadly this is by far the most troubling part of the decline of phone booths to me.

I love my cell phone (and my iPod). I love that I can get my email, text messages and calls wherever I am (and that I can ignore any of them if I so choose). My roommate and I actually do not have a landline, only our cells. We didn't use it for anything except calling the phone company (slash cable company... yay monopolies) to complain about our service.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!

To-day is Alexander Graham Bell's birthday. Not only that, my name is in the telephone directory for the first time! I had it under my dad's name forever but now everyone who knows my maiden name can look me up and call me.

 

[Chrome]

Hmm... it seems that many people have their phones switched off regularly and they use it only when they need to call to someone else. I guess they won't be calling to fellow vintage enthusiasts because they don't have their phones on

yes, this is a joke.

I need my phone and it really is useful, even just now I received text message from my hatter that my french hats new ribbon job is ready and available for pickup. I would have to wait by the phone at home for the call otherwise. Now I can just go from work and pick it up.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Why pay H U G E bills for a cell/mobile phone when you have a lovely vintage phone to chat away for endless hours

 

[CopperNY]

i have a cell that i use probably twice a month. hate the things. not because of the device itself, but because it's become such an acceptable outlet of rudeness and stupidity.

my state is actually passing a new law. it was not enough that you are not supposed to be talking on the phone while driving, it has to be specified that you are not to be texting while driving.

of course my new favorite pastime is watching people walk into things while texting. i've actually had people walk into me while texting and get mad at -me- because they were interrupted.

[huh] it's nice to watch natural selection at work.

 

[ScionPI2005]

my state is actually passing a new law. it was not enough that you are not supposed to be talking on the phone while driving, it has to be specified that you are not to be texting while driving.

Several cities in New Mexico have the "hands free law" (Santa Fe and Albuquerque for two), yet I fail to see how these laws will ever be enforced. It certainly hasn't done much around here, as I still see dozens of people talking on their phones in traffic. Also, apparently a certain percentage of my generation believes there's nothing else to do while driving than to text friends. :eusa_doh: No wonder I feel so removed from my age group.

 

[Cigarband]

A Brief Encounter

The other day while strolling along to my local java joint, I realized that I had left my Nokia nagger back at the manse. I needed to get my bookie on the horn or my knees might not be with me by sunset. I knew that the corner coffee house was devoid of coin operated blowers, so I shot the block a quick once over in search of a public Ameche. Ahh there's one in the Library, I thought to myself. So I made a beeline for Carnegie Hall.
When I went through the spinning portal, a waft of cool silence rushed over me. I ambled over to the desk and asked the Tome Tina where the choker was. She gave me a look with more promise than a new hat, and pointed to the hallway. I took a raincheck on her offer, and ankled down the corridor. Hanging on the wall was something I hadn't run across since Tricky Dick, a Rotary dial Bell.
It threw me for a loop. I had to turn over all the junk in my brain box to twig the old system. I felt like a sap.
It was redick to drag that piece of bakelite around instead of punching digits. But the horse took the bit and we were off and running. The old days of being in command of my communications was right there in those finger holes. The click click click of the dial was the cry of the lone wolf. I brushed the past away and got Fat Mike on the wire. It took some fast lip, but I convinced him not to turn me into a keychain. By the time I hungup, I was dead set on what I was gonna do. I made a date with the Desk Dame for that PM, and meandered back to my digs.
When I got inside, I grabbed my mobile menace, and like
Bob Feller, put a fastball right down the thundermug.
And I was flushed with Freedom.

 

[Forgotten Man]

i have a cell that i use probably twice a month. hate the things. not because of the device itself, but because it's become such an acceptable outlet of rudeness and stupidity.

my state is actually passing a new law. it was not enough that you are not supposed to be talking on the phone while driving, it has to be specified that you are not to be texting while driving.

of course my new favorite pastime is watching people walk into things while texting. i've actually had people walk into me while texting and get mad at -me- because they were interrupted.

[huh] it's nice to watch natural selection at work.

lol Yeah, tell me about it!!! I agree 110% on what you said! Perfect!

Thaty's why I'm sticking to my ol' Western Electrics!

 

[goldwyn girl]

I'm always amazed by people in the movie theater constantly checking their phones, that light is so annoying in the rows in front of me. And if it's that important just don't go and see the movie, spend time with you phone.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm always amazed by people in the movie theater constantly checking their phones, that light is so annoying in the rows in front of me. And if it's that important just don't go and see the movie, spend time with you phone.

If it were legal to install shielding inside a theatre that would block cellphone reception, I'd do it in a second. One of these days I'm going to go up in the projection room with a squirt gun, and as soon as I see those little lights come on, I'm going to let the offender have it.

 

[Feraud]

I'm always amazed by people in the movie theater constantly checking their phones, that light is so annoying in the rows in front of me. And if it's that important just don't go and see the movie, spend time with you phone.

That is rude. A co-worker told me how people are texting in church during service.

 

[Matt Deckard]

God takes texts too.

 

[Sefton]

God takes texts too.

I just can't picture George Burns with a cell phone...

 

[goldwyn girl]

If it were legal to install shielding inside a theatre that would block cellphone reception, I'd do it in a second. One of these days I'm going to go up in the projection room with a squirt gun, and as soon as I see those little lights come on, I'm going to let the offender have it.

Oh Lizzie, I love that idea !!!

Texting in church they have lost all respect !!!

 

[ScionPI2005]

Texting in church and in the theater...people just don't seem to have much self control anymore. I'm glad I don't have anything that important going on in my life where I would need to check my texts every few minutes.

 

[CopperNY]

ah yes. it was "The Dark Knight", and the late-teen girl next to us was texting through the entire movie. then she actually answered a call! just started chatting about nonsense. my wife let her have it:

"please miss, put that thing away. you're being incredibly rude!".

"but, i have to take a call."

wife: "no, you don't. now...put...it...away!".

strong words for my wife, but the girl did it.

on the other side of the coin eusa_doh: ), i have two friends that bring pennies to throw at cell phone offenders at the movies.

haven't seen it in church yet. but i go to the early service which is more intimate and someone texting would stand out pretty quick.

i was taught that good manners were just as much about self respect as about respecting others.

 

[John in Covina]

Texting in church and in the theater...people just don't seem to have much self control anymore.

Your close!

It's not about self control, it is about self, self centeredness, self importance if you place self above all, then all else matters little if at all.

 

[John in Covina]

"please miss, put that thing away. you're being incredibly rude!".

"but, i have to take a call."

****
The had it not been a girl or woman response should have been: You'll be taking all of your meals thru a straw if you don't put it away.

 

[Mr_D.]

I hate the cell phone era for its insistence on instant accessibility. I'm old enough to remember non cell phone times, and I deeply appreciate being unreachable when I don't wish to be found.

I remember the first cell I talked on. our neighbor was "well off" and had one in his car. we went for a drive and he let me call my mom (I was just a kid) for 2 mins and it cost him little under $5. LOL it was a "brick" phone.

I too have a cell. I use it in place of our land line as it is cheaper. but I have rules. I DO NOT ever talk while driving (unless I have a hands free device and I rarely do), If I don't want to talk, I just hit the ignore button or don't answer. When I call them back, if they ask I don't make up some story about "my battery was dead" or "I left my phone..." I just say "I didn't want to talk, I was busy." that's another thing that gets me. if you have a cell, why do you not keep the battery charged? keep mine plugged in at home all the time. it never unplugs unless I take it with me or and using it. I hate it when I call someone and 5 mins into the call their battery dies.

Anyway. I also hate people that have a cell glued to their head. on another board we are talking about this woman that went to Disney with her little girl. stool in line at the Tea cups for 20 mins the whole time on the phone. Now it's time to get on the ride, does he hang up? NO!. she sits there on the ride never once spinning the cup for her little girl. the little girls face was just "why am I here?"

Those are the people I want to walk up to and grab the phone and throw it in the lake.