The Great American Beep-Out

[Senator Jack]

I'm promoting this not for shameless self-promotion this time, but to get everyone interested. I'm going to try to get this idea out there so I'll need a network of people to send e-mails to friends, press, etc.

http://www.thefedorachronicles.com

I'll have an e-mail to pass along as soon as we work out the date. Anyone want to help, please let me know.

Thanks and kind regards,

Senator Jack

 

[magneto]

(Applauds). You have my enthusiastic support!

In case anyone had trouble finding the article in question from the main page, here is a direct link: http://thefedorachronicles.com/Columns/senatorjack/jack_2006_02_28.html

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Just make sure it is on a weekend. I need to use a computer at school every weekday.

 

[LaMedicine]

And I hope you don't mean all the beeping stuff in the hospital, that's going to keep everyone on the run even more than when the beepers are on......

 

[Big Man]

I agree, it's a great idea to have a day of freedom from beepers, cell phones, et el. But, isn't it just a little ironic that the way to spread the word about freeing us from these things is being spread by the very things we want to be free of?

 

[Paisley]

Sounds like a typical Sunday at my house

It's my understanding that in observant Jews follow this very practice every Sabbath, and take it even further. Their law prohibits lighting a fire on that day, and the modern equivalent is using electricity. That means no phones, no driving, no cooking, etc. Emergency use (including doctors with pagers) is allowed.

I'm not a highly religious person, or Jewish, but I generally follow these guidelines every Sunday. I don't do housework, fiddle with the computer, run errands, go shopping, etc., on Sunday. Nor do I garden, except to water my plants. What do I do? I read, think, take a nap, play with the dog, look out the window, enjoy my home, talk on the phone (yes, I break that rule) and sometimes go to a dance. The day of rest on Sunday gives a sense of urgency to Saturday. Anything that doesn't get done that day doesn't seem to hurt anything.

The great benefit of this day of rest is that I feel relaxed and re-charged on Monday. My grandfather used to say that if he didn't get a day of rest on Sunday, the rest of the week didn't go well. I am in accord with him.

 

[mysterygal]

you got to admit that a day of rest is a good thing...my sunday's are the same way...for some reason, it always feels like a day to lounge around the house, take a nap, watch some shows..and it does recharge you for the week ahead

 

[Senator Jack]

Thanks to everyone for checking out the site and voicing your encouragement. We're trying to work out a date - possibly Sunday, July 23. Renderking Fisk is working on an e-mail to send out that everyone can pass along to co-workers, friends, enemies, etc. If bad jokes can make the rounds in two days, why not this? We'll make it available as soon as it's ready. In the meantime, feel free to visit us at the FC forum to make suggestions. I'm an idea guy; my follow-thru is usually pretty terrible.

I suppose it's because of my work - computer consulting - that I get to hear how unhappy people are. They get calls and e-mails at dinner, all weekend, holidays, and they're told that they have to leave the phones/blackberries on all the time. Because I work for myself, I'm subject to this too, and clients can't understand why I'm not available at 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday. We really have become a 24/7 society. If I have the cellphone off, they just call me at home (the major drawback of working out of your house!) If I unplug the house phone too, I always get an e-mail that says 'you're phones not working.' Duh.

There's both good and bad in being able to ring people up at any time. As I've posted at the FC forum, over the last 23 years I've been in the IT field, I've seen technology go from boone to curse. People have misused it for their own gain - spammers, hackers, the importunate boss. It's all become rather frustrating.

I guess I'm not railing so much against the home computer and home telephone as I am the portable gadgets. People seem to be more interested in who's at the other end of the gadget than they are in you. You're talking to someone and they just seem to be nodding while they text message someone else. They take calls right in the middle of your conversation. Usually, they're not even important calls, are they? Just chit-chat. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. But don't give me the 'one-moment I'll be right with you' finger. Whenever I go to a business meeting, especially with a new client, I make a bit of a show of turning off my cell. It shows them that I'm interested in what they have to say. Rarely is that courtesy reciprocated.

Again, thanks for all the support so far.

Kind regards,

Senator Jack

 

[PrettySquareGal]

But but...

How else will you get your end of times prophesy updates??

http://web-1.airborne-e.com/www.pktbo.com/website/leftbehind/

 

[J.B.]

I agree, it's a great idea to have a day of freedom from beepers, cell phones, et el. But, isn't it just a little ironic that the way to spread the word about freeing us from these things is being spread by the very things we want to be free of?

 

[Section10]

Nice idea. For me, most every day is a beep-out day. The only portable thing I own that beeps is a metal detector.

 

[koopkooper]

Great idea but how about we go global..happy to talk about it on my radio show.....hell maybe I could interview the leader.....what do ya say Jack!
Speaking of cell phones I had an argument with my boss the other day when I refused to give him my home phone number....I figure one contact number is enough. He says if someone is sick and can't make it to air then he might have to get me in early or on a weekend. My arguement was "well what if you called my home number and cell and you can't get me, you give up right! Well give up after one call and find someone else" Simple. Result...he still has one contact number and that's it..I win.

 

[CWetherby]

What a fabulous idea! As I motor about town, one of my hobbies if I'm stopped at a red light is to count how many cars pass me whose drivers are yacking away on cell phones. It's usually at least half, if not more. What's funny is a car with 2 people in it, both on cell phones to someone else, not talking to the person sitting in the car right next to them!!

Ok, here's my rant: It used to be if you saw someone walking around, talking to themselves, you thought, "Poor thing, a little bit eccentric or maybe even in need of medical attention...". Now, people will look right at you, say something, and be using the hands-free, practically invisible ear phones and mic and TALKING ON THE CELL PHONE, for crying out loud!!

Maybe the Great American Beep-Out can become a frequent thing--maybe even monthly. Yea, I know, let's get the first one planned first!!! But it's a thought....

 

[Senator Jack]

Posted by CWetherby:
It used to be if you saw someone walking around, talking to themselves, you thought, "Poor thing, a little bit eccentric or maybe even in need of medical attention...". Now, people will look right at you, say something, and be using the hands-free, practically invisible ear phones and mic and TALKING ON THE CELL PHONE, for crying out loud!!

I have to say this has worked out for me. Now I can walk around talking to myself without being thought the weirdo.

Posted by Koopkooper:
Great idea but how about we go global..happy to talk about it on my radio show.....hell maybe I could interview the leader.....what do ya say Jack!

Let's get it going Koop! I didn't realize the Aussies are as harried as we are up here.

I'm still trying to nail down two things: A date and a web page. I've been discussing this with my fellow Chroniclers but my follow through is terrible. I suppose I should just get a MySpace account and set up a page there. Anyone want to help organize that would be great. You know where to get a hold of me.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[koopkooper]

Yeah it's a go...what we need is a journo or someone with experience to write a really great press release. You'll then need to get on the net and track down the big media guys and email it to them...radio,press,tv,new media and off you go...plus you will need a person to be available to do interviews which is quite ironic because you'll need to be very available.
Something that upsets journos or hosts of shows is that they go with your story and find they can't get in touch to do an interview. If it gets too hard they drop it in the too hard basket and move on.

 

[Senator Jack]

Date Set

Okay, I set the date for Sunday, June 11, and I created (Good lord, I can't believe I did this) a blog at MySpace.com. Here's the link

http://blog.myspace.com/62384670



So if anyone one would like to get this started as a chain mail, just copy and send.

Let's get the word out, people. Hurray for the 20th Century!

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[CWetherby]

I thought of you last night when I realized that I always keep the beeper turned off on my microwave!

Glad to have a date set and congrats on the blog. I'll be sending out some emails today!

 

[CWetherby]

Okay, I set the date for Sunday, June 11, and I created (Good lord, I can't believe I did this) a blog at MySpace.com. Here's the link

http://blog.myspace.com/62384670



So if anyone one would like to get this started as a chain mail, just copy and send.

Let's get the word out, people. Hurray for the 20th Century!

Regards,

Senator Jack

And, I'd like to add, Hurray for those not content to settle for what society says we should blindly accept!

 

[Senator Jack]

Well thank you for helping me out CWetherby. Spread the word, my friends. Spread the word.



Regards,
Senator Jack