Cell Phones
I do not like them.
When we had hard lines we never put up with the kind of reception/service that is normal with cell phones. Not even when we had "Party Lines" back in the earlier days! It was always assumed that someone would be listening to your conversation. Somewheres along the way we were fed the idea of "privacy" .... as if broadcasting your private conversations over radio waves were somehow "private."
Life was simpler before cell phones. For instance, my wife and my sister heard there was a "nudist colony" about 10 miles or so from the ranch we were on. One day they looked it up. While sitting in the drive reading the signs about the place a car pulled up beside them. My sister was driving and the guy from the car walked up and said, "Hey ladies! Want to come in?" My sister told him no thanks and he put his hand on the door and said, "You really should visit." As he did that my sister stuck her pistol into his belly, cocked the hammer and said, "Get your hands off my door!" He backed up so fast he almost fell down.
Now if that happened today he would have gotten out his cell phone, called the cops and my sister would have gone to jail! Cell phones have only complicated things.
I know that those who have businesses can run them from their smart phones. I see people doing it all the time. It has not helped their lives though it may make their business easier. But when people live with their heads down into their phones the majority of time ... never hear you asking a question ... don't know what's going on around them even when they are in a crowded public place ... and they think they are "keeping in touch" ... 
But many see no problem with that.
Last time I was in an airport waiting on my flight ... out of 25 or 30 people ... there was only me and one old cowboy who weren't on their phones. He looked at me, looked at the people, and shook his head.
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Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.
Cell Phones
by Murphy 
, Saturday, January 11, 2025, 22:09 (6 days ago) @ JimT
I proudly carry a flip phone. Small, folds up nicely and fits in my front pocket which works for me. I can get on the web using it if I have to, but have only done it once or twice. Nothing against those who do carry/use smart phones. And yes, a lot of people need and use them for business purposes.
Situational awareness is another story and here's one. I was at a doctors appointment in the waiting room with 25 other people at least. I'd taken my usual seat next to the front door out of habit. Within 5 to 10 minutes the door opened and an elderly gentleman walked in. He was on up there in years from what I could see from behind, but what I really noticed was the double harness shoulder rig he was wearing with two 1911's. As he stood there surveying the room for a place to sit, I slid my hand down to the comforting feel of a Kahr 9mm in my right front pocket. No telling what his intentions may be and mine went un-noticed. He found a seat, sat down and within 3-4 minutes was sound asleep. To this day I'm not sure if any of the others in the room noticed. I do know as I looked around the room to see if anyone else had noticed, I couldn't tell, seems they all had their heads in their phone. Worrisome isn't it?
My other pet peeve, is to be having a conversation with a friend and they're on speaker phone. The next thing you know, a third party walks into the room they're in and starts talking to them as if the person on the other end doesn't exist. We we're raised like that, it's called manners.
Rant off,
Murphy
Cell Phones
by Gunner , St Louis, Sunday, January 12, 2025, 15:17 (6 days ago) @ JimT
Necessary evil in today's world, though I minimize the usage of my cell. I only use it for two reasons.....1) if someone in the family or I have an emergency 2) boredom, waiting to clock in at work or while on lunch I look at the internet. Beyond that I am not interested in using it, I am fully capable to doing lots of things on it I chose not to, my daughters, all grown, have their whole life tied to their cells
I keep warning them about that, if their crappy, unreliable Iphone shoots crap, they will regret it.
Gunner
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https://www.instagram.com/41gunner/
41 Mags rule, Baers rock!
Cell Phones
I have embraced the smart phone. Features & Apps I use a lot. Notes, Hodgdon data, Alliant data, shot timer, moon phase, night sky, magnifier, light, camera, timer/alarm, calendar, 2 local weather and NOAA, fitness tracker, spot the space station, Plantiary, QR reader, compass, map. But I never have my phone out in public because, "situational awareness". #1 use is Becky's emergency hotline.
That's my biggest gripe ... situational awareness .. (nt)
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Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.