Unplugging

[BlaqueKatt]

I wonder how many people were droning on about people's over-reliance on record players when they should really be paying attention to the world around them...

to be fair-you couldn't take a record player jogging with you-which is my main complaint-I've seen joggers running down the bikepath or in the middle of the street with headphones on loud enough that they could not hear me say in a loud voice "passing on your left" or my bike bell, or the car that almost hit them.

Sorry some times you should be paying attention to the world around you. We recently, as in last fall, had a series of attacks on joggers-only ones assaulted/robbed were the ones with headphones in, oblivious to their surroundings....

[Vagabond]

*a mischievious elf inside me snickers at that <- only ones attacked were ones unaware of surroundings*

Granted this did happen to me once. I was walking around london with some headphones on and a double decker almost decked me, luckily I heard his horn.

I've nothing against headphones or various MP3 players, but I think it's a wise idea to be able to hear what's going on around you.

At work I used to let my subordinates listen to music on their headphones, but with the stipulation that they could only have 1 earbud in at a time so they could hear what's going on around them, and if anyone was trying to get their attention.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

*a mischievious elf inside me snickers at that <- only ones attacked were ones unaware of surroundings*

Granted this did happen to me once. I was walking around london with some headphones on and a double decker almost decked me, luckily I heard his horn.

I've nothing against headphones or various MP3 players, but I think it's a wise idea to be able to hear what's going on around you.

At work I used to let my subordinates listen to music on their headphones, but with the stipulation that they could only have 1 earbud in at a time so they could hear what's going on around them, and if anyone was trying to get their attention.

At my internship last year I spent the majority of time listening to music while working, with both if only because I rarely worked with anyone else on anything and it was almost impossible to enter the dub room (where I lived) and NOT be seen. Also, it was insanely handy to just plug my earbuds into the decks to make audio checks rather than fiddling with the headphones or using the speakers.

I generally keep both in when walking/crossing the street too, but never too loud to hear anything as a general rule of thumb. That and, you know, looking around so that I can see if there's any problems. And never walk at night with both, though. In fact, I don't even put my hood up, either.

Or, is that too much like asking people en masse to have common sense?

[Vagabond]

Wingates - too much common sense. But then, common sense isn't so common anymore... but it would be difficult to start calling it 'un-common sense'.

[Rageaholic]

Do not get me started on this.

I get so tired of hearing about the old fashion way of doing things. Yes people played board games instead of video games back in the day. Board games can still be fun, but that doesn't mean you have to criticize me for finding video games entertaining. It's what we have now, what we had back then has absolutely nothing to do with now.

[Vagabond]

I'm not saying that we have to or should go back to the old way of doing things. I'm not at all. I like new tech and new toys.

I just think it's a good idea to keep some old tech around too, just in case the new tech fails. Every have a power outage? Flashlights and candles become your best friend then. (Unless you are lucky enough to have a generator - then you have lots of new best friends, usually called neighbors)

Speaking of new tech - I can't wait for the MegaUltraCompuTV - yes, an all-in-one wonder. That installs as a wall in your house! It's internet, tv, gaming console, and computer all in one! And like SARA in Eureka, monitors everything you do... That or wet-wire.

[telecom_goddess]

Speaking of new tech - I can't wait for the MegaUltraCompuTV - yes, an all-in-one wonder. That installs as a wall in your house! It's internet, tv, gaming console, and computer all in one! And like SARA in Eureka, monitors everything you do... That or wet-wire.

Pardon me I have to wipe the drool that's dripping down my face.....

That would be freaking AWESOME

[Lace Neil Singer]

I'm not getting rid of my mobile cuz I kind of need it... I don't have a landline, so my mobile IS my main phone. I've had that kind of "blah blah you're so reliant on your phone" crap from people, only for them to shut up when I point out that ditching my phone would mean that I was completely uncontactable. Thing is, I don't want to fork out for a landline to be installed and to pay rent on it even when I wasn't using it, so it makes more sense to keep a pay as you go mobile instead.

I don't have an ipod, but only cuz I can't afford to buy one at the moment.

[Rageaholic]

You know, why can't these people who have such a problem with technology just shut up and mind their own business? They don't have to use all the technology if they don't want to, why can't they just stay out of the lives of those who do? Much easier for everyone.

[negruvoda]

Engineer here

Well let me see if I can inventory everything.
Cell phone (win mobile, w/ gps), mp3 player (not iPod, can't stand Apple products, but that is entirely my problem), a second pda w/ gps stays in the car for my wife, two desktops in the house (wife is an engineer too), the laptop, external hard drives by each computer, hdtv's two of them, several usb sticks each with its own purpose (music, movies, work, portable antivirus programs), two cameras (mine is a dslr, the wife has a very nice point and click), my wife's gaming systems ( an DS, and a very nice portable that plays the SNES games she likes). And among these usually only the tv's stay home when we go somewhere.

And that's not all, I have also several examples of old technology, the most used of which is my fully mechanical type writer since I don't like to write on the computer.

Tell me to unplug and I'll tell you where to go, in detail.

This does not mean that I can't live without them, just that I don't want to.

[Vagabond]

Rageaholic -
[sarcasm] cuz all that technology causes cancer dontchaknow? [/sarcasm]