Fight the mobile phone invasion at 30,000ft

Financial Times ^ | 3/28/2006 | Jagdish Bhagwati

[Looking4Truth]

Are they expensive? What make and model? I would like to purchase one, but haven't found any locally.

I'm pretty sure you won't find one in the States. I looked into getting a portable one for use when I went out to eat and such and found that they can be bought from companies in England. (This was in 2004.)

It only took a few seconds to find the links on Google.

They ran between 200 and 600 bucks IIRC and there were portable models about the size of a cell phone and table top models as well which weren't much bigger.

The smaller the package and larger the range of jamming translated into more cost.

[stuartcr]

What does any of that have to do with what the stewardess announces before take-off?

[safisoft]

What does any of that have to do with what the stewardess announces before take-off?

The announcement is required by law.

Suffice it to say that some laws are not for the reasons stated. Understand?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Rude people who talk loudly on their cell phones should always be told that they are rude

I agree but you are assuming that these rudeniks actually give a crap about the effect of their behavior on others.

[Revolting cat!]

I hear ya. Don't get me started either. They play disco music at my corporate gym. Disco? Thankfully, when the hanging TVs are blasting and the treadmill motors are humming they all cancel each other out. But in the weight room, where I go, it's just your grunts and the distracting, annoying disco. Like you, I suspect, I listen to music, can't just hear it! (A Seinfeld episode comes to mind with an emergency room doctor getting distracted by Witchy Woman coming out of a speaker while his patient is dying.)

Ever notice that on American commercial television you won't hear a second of silence? That's intentional and obviously doesn't have to be that way. My theory is that people nowadays are afraid of silence, afraid of being left with their own thoughts. Might get depressed. Need a distraction. Dang it, you did get me started!

[stuartcr]

It would be handy, if the plane you were on, got hijacked.

[stuartcr]

You mean they would never tell anyone where the emergency doors are, if they didn't have to?

[Junior]

People are becoming increasingly obnoxious in all walks of life. There is, of course, the people ruining your meal/movie/plane ride with their loud cell chatting. There are also people who curse in public or who loiter in the left lane of the highway preventing people from passing. What all these folks have in common is their obliviousness to others.

[LIConFem]

"Fashionable? A peeve is a peeve. "

If that's truly the case, then why are so many other rude behaviors tolerated or completely ignored?? I've seen grown men (and sometimes women), talking loud, using obscenities and generally being completely obnoxious in public without rebuke. Yet some of these same people will jump all over someone else who dares answer their cell phone.

Yes, it is fashionable.

[Huck]

Yeah, a disregard for others. That's basically it. The f%^&ers. Hold on, I gotta take this call. ;-P

[SALChamps03]

I tend to block out things I don't want to hear. I have more important things about which to worry.

[Revolting cat!]

What can you do? The rude ones, think the rest of us including professor Jagdish Bhagwati are "morons" in our "ivory towers".

You can protest as much as you like but the typical cell phone conversation we all unwillingly hear ia like the one cited by Mineral Man above or something like:

"Hi, I'm in isle 5A of Krogers. Peanut butter? Crunchy or smooth?"

That's you genius! Our only hope is an epidemic of brain tumors related to overuse of these devices.

[null and void]

Remember when you used to have to turn your computer on when going through security?

Yeah. Last time I flew they specifically DIDN'T want me to turn on my electronics. I asked the TSA agent why not?, and his answer amounted to he didn't want anything to blow up in his face...

[safisoft]

You mean they would never tell anyone where the emergency doors are, if they didn't have to?

Somethings the law mandates are quite right. Others are not. Can you tell the difference?

I usually can. Common sense will go a long way.

[null and void]

My theory is that people nowadays are afraid of silence, afraid of being left with their own thoughts. Might get depressed. Need a distraction. Dang it, you did get me started!

Might think!

[TommyDale]

"How come your freedom gets to trump someone elses?"

That's the way the law is. One person's freedom only goes until it intrudes on another's.

[TommyDale]

"You want peace and quiet? Stay home."

I can go anywhere I choose. If you disturb the peace, you are in violation of the law.

Let me counter your statement with this, "If you want to keep your cell phone in one piece, then leave it at home!"

[safisoft]

Last time I flew they specifically DIDN'T want me to turn on my electronics.

If you want an eye-opener with regard to security, visit Israel. Many of the things we do here seem exactly wrong.

In Israel, the metal detectors don't beep because of the fillings in your teeth.

In Israel, they don't want you to take off your shoes.

In Israel, anyone might be carrying a gun, and everyone knows it.

In Israel, they assume bad people will always do bad things, and thus don't treat every person as if they are perfectly the same. In other words, they PROFILE.

Many of the things we do here are a sham, and most people know it.

[TommyDale]

Just don't sit next to me and converse about personal stuff at twice the normal volume.

[stuartcr]

But your freedom from noise, doesn't it intrude on that other persons' freedom to talk?
Sounds like a vicious circle of freedoms.