Computers on the way out

[HeyBub]

First panel: Dilbert tells his dog he invented an internet RING!

Second panel: Dog: "That's insane" Dilbert: "Quiet, I'm surfing"

Third panel: Dilbert: "I think I saw an 'e'!"

[aemeijers]

That syndrome is pandemic at my office. First gap in conversation, they are all whipping out their electronic mistresses, and closed off to outside input. Reminds me of that ST TNG episode about the addictive game.

[aemeijers]

Shrug. Sure, if you throw enough money at it, you can get nice toy with good connectivity. Some of us still cringe at paying $43 a month for low-end DSL. High-end data plan? Ain't gonna happen.

[Steve B]

That's just for the little people. How in the world would they catch you? You'd be gone before anything could be done. And who would associate some old fart in Bermuda shorts and mismatching shoes and an Old Guys Rule T shirt with something that high tech?

I won't say who, but a very close acquaintance of mine is a LEO. She has THOUSANDS of copied movies. So much for the FBI disclaimer before movies.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

Heart Surgery Survival Guide

[Steve B]

What he said. I got no problems with people staying in touch. I do have a problem with some rude obnoxious filthy ring tone going off during church or at a restaurant. And it seems like it takes them the full 15 seconds to answer it. They know enough to download a ringtone, but can't figure out the vibrate feature.

I'm checking a jammer out.

[Steve B]

Classy doctors use the vibrate feature. Unclassy people use "Bad to the Bone" at highest volume. And usually take 20 seconds to answer calls.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

Heart Surgery Survival Guide

[Steve B]

And yet you're educated beyond your capacity and the vibrate feature eludes you?

Steve

[George]

I have the least expensive published cable modem plan from Comcast at home. I also have the least expensive data plan which is $29.95/month

[Gordon Shumway]

Aw, crap! Why didn't you tell me before I replaced my 10 yr old PC. And why didn't you tell me before I bought SHMBO an iPod 2 for her birthday (in 5 days). You butthead!

[George]

Talk about bizarre conclusions.

Do some thinking for a moment. Suppose you are in the waiting room biting your fingers because that is what they show on TV to show concern. Do you imagine the door will fly open and they will ask you to scrub in because they ran into issues they can't solve? Would it make any difference if you were standing across the street looking at the waterfall in the park?

A family member had lifesaving surgery at one of only two of the hospitals in the US that could do it. They are a premiere teaching hospital. Not only do they look out for the patient but they do their best to comfort and accommodate the family.

So when we brought him in for the surgery we stayed in the room until after midnight with no objections from the hospital. When he came out of surgery we were allowed in the ICU where they brought him when he came out of anesthesia.

When I bring him back for a followup outpatient procedure which will be necessary forever the nurse is the one who says "I am nurse Jones, please give me your cellphone number and go out for a walk or for lunch and I will call you" because they know you can prove nothing by sitting in the waiting room getting frustrated and imagining everything. And they also know that over 80% of the population have a cellphone so it isn't an unusual idea.

Times change and ideas change.

And that was a nice respectful reply when no one attacked you. I suppose that is part of your 99 year old cowboy persona with the "jes" this and "jes" that?

[George]

I missed where he said he didn't used vibrate mode.

[George]

Its a different world today. All sorts of businesses operate with much less staff and also very flat management structure.

[chaniarts]

of course you did. i didn't indicate the loudness of my phone in my post, and he just ASSUMED. it's in my pocket and on vibrate 100% of the time so wouldn't bother anyone anyway.

his jammer would, of course, do the equivalent of turning off my phone without my knowledge. considering that my customers are running E911 services, if i can't help them, his jammer would cause police/fire/ambulance departments not be able to dispatch for calls, or at least being delayed when they have to fall back to paper/pencil dispatch systems.

all without his knowledge.

how many deaths could be attributed to his jammer?

sometimes actions could have unaccounted and unknowable consequences.

[chaniarts]

there are plenty of tests or procedures that take a long time but have no need for someone to wait for. dialysis comes to mind. the patient may need dropoff/pickup, but certainly sometime to wait with them is unnecessary.

[notbob]

zactily! lol....

[The Daring Dufas]

I used to think a lot of people were crazy and talking to themselves or having a conversation with an imaginary friend but it turned out to be a Bluetooth cellphone headset hidden by their hair. ^_^

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

Hell, I'm on 24 hour call for my customers who ask:

"Do you charge extra for nights and weekends?"

"No, I charge the same outrageous rate all the time."

TDD

[Ed Pawlowski]

"Kurt Ullman" wrote

I used to be on call for a business that supplies home oxygen. Most weekends I'd get one call at the most. If your oxygen machine broke down, how long would you want to wait until you hear from me? Yes, there is a backup for a few hours, but you'd still want to know I was going to take care of you soon.

[Vic Smith]

Doesn't mean you were wrong about them being crazy. One of my guys at work had one when they first came out. He would walk and talk. Sometimes he was walking toward me. With his lips moving, looking at me, but I could barely hear him. I'd say "What?" I never got used to it. He learned to turn around and walk the other way when he saw me.

--Vic

[The Daring Dufas]

I would see a Black woman using one of those things and they are often very cross with the person on the other end. I didn't know they had a Bluetooth headset and thought they were practicing to chew on somebody's butt when they got home. :-)

TDD