On Dec 6, 12:03*am, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
> "John Kuthe" <>
>
> >> I had to get a personal cell phone because ether are no payphones
> >> around anymore. *It's also a good idea that I can be
> >> tracked/triangulated if I'm not around for a couple days. *I was a
> >> late holdout to cell phones, but now I have one that cheap as dirt
> >> compared to what other pay.
>
> >> -sw
>
> > What did you get, and through what service? I may have to get one
> > soon.
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> My reception of this thread is fractious since apparently there are some
> obnoxious kill-filed jerks participating. *At any rate - our daughter who is
> frugal just for the fun of it says that her cell phone is from Wal-Mart for
> $10. *She didn't want/need one that would take pictures, give her the scenic
> route to Omaha or the best price on octopus jerky. *Her no contract service
> might be with A T & T. * It can be done. *Polly


Not applicable to me or others who think for themselves, but for
most people the cellphone, or any recent electronic gadget, is a
gateway drug to the hard stuff. Most of the stuff advertised on tv
and elsewhere is sold on the basis of speed. It's all about doing
things faster to give us more time. But all it gives most people is
time for more work. I have a cellphone I use for driving the stinking
cab - but at home I use a landline and would never switch. Not only
does the sound of most cellphones suck to begin with, most people make
it even worse by using cheap ear buds and speakers that produce a
tinny sound that is irritating and could even lead to a form of mass
stress similar to that of mass hypnosis. Just kidding with that last
remark, but maybe not that much. Anyway, I'm all for anything new
that works and is helpful or enjoyable - but the truth is and always
has been that today's luxury is tomorrow's necessity.

One more thing I thought was pretty funny. For maybe 5 years
now I've been looking for a personal phone book. You know, an address
book - a small book with A thru Z sticking out on labels so you can
write in people's phone numbers alphabetically. I wasn't searching
desperately, just now and then when the mood struck and I happened to
be in a store such as WalMart for example. All I ever saw were Day
Planner books. The other day I went into the dollar store and asked
if they had address books. They did not. All they had were the
planners. Then it hit me, as maybe it should have hit me earlier -
that the phone-number address book is hard to find these days because
of the cellphone. People store numbers in their phones. Of course
when their phones go down or are lost they typically have no backup as
they have placed all their faith in the tiny electronic instruments
that rule most people's lives.

TJ