Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[Mike Meredith]

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 10:09:33 -0400 (EDT), Kevin wrote:
> On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 11:26:25 -0600 (MDT)
> Dan Duncan <dand at pcisys.net> wrote:
> > Note that several
> > studies have shown that requiring a handsfree set in
> > order to use a cellphone whilst driving actually does
> > nothing to increase safety.

What I can't understand is why people find it so hard to call people
back ... after all mobile phones keep a register of missed calls. One
of the reasons I prefer my mobile is that if I'm busy, I can ignore it
and call people back when I'm free.

> On another rant a bit off topic, it's really pissing me
> off how people believe that cell phones are actually an
> absolute necessity these days.  

Hell, why is *any* phone considered a necessity ? It's useful sure, but
it's perfectly possible to live without one (I didn't have any phone at
all between 1990-1996; part of that was the Helldesk work made me hate
the bloody things).

> Along the same lines, a lady at my job said her son had
> to have a cell phone because he was a diabetic and had
> to be able to contact her or 911 at any time.  WTF?????

If he has a hypoglycemic attack severe enough to call 911, he won't be
the one calling it. Also diabetics quite frequently deny they are having
an attack so having a mobile for that purpose is rather pointless.

> What the hell did diabetics do in the 70s?  My mother

Well, in the 1950's my dad made sure that the people around him at
school knew about his situation and what to do if he had an attack.
Strikes me as a much more sensible way of dealing with it, especially as
an attack isn't something to drag the emergency services into (unless
the victim is unconscious).