# It's a Wireless World



## qwertyportne (Nov 18, 2014)

_We were born to be wireless: the last cord we were 
connected to was cut at birth. ~Frank Sanda_
​Throughout history, many things have been cultural icons--tall buildings, for example. The Normans built castles as they marched across England and cathedrals marked the advance of Christianity across Europe. Today, skyscrapers are evidence the industrial revolution has spread to every nation on Earth.

During the age of enlightenment, pamphlets like Common Sense and books like The Origin of Species were evidence that new ways of thinking were marching across Europe and stirring in America. Both were the result of two historical icons: the printing press and public education. Reading material is still an icon of trends and interests.

Today, the wireless revolution is the sign of the times. Over 2 billion people, one third of the Earth's population, have integrated the Internet and one or more wireless wonders into their personal and professional lives. Never before have so many people been connected in so many ways.

At home, in your car or sitting in Starbucks, you can navigate cyberspace and open virtual doors with a  key word and a click. And this virtual reality is virtually free. The World of Wireless Wonders has changed the way we work and play, buy and sell, share thoughts and feelings, ask questions and find answers.

But today's connectedness comes with risks. Some questions are best answered with the lengthy and painful process of trial and error—not with a keyboard and a click. The things you learn for keeps are those you discover for yourself. How many times have you tried to explain something in five minutes to your son or daughter that took you five years to understand? Words are only handles to carry the idea of something from one person to another, not the thing itself.

Other problems are the Digital Divide and Overuse--opposite  sides of a coin called Isolation. Two-thirds of the people on this planet are not connected to the Internet and therefore isolated from the advantages of access. And many with access are isolating themselves from in-person relationships by spending too much time on the Internet. How often do you see people walking together but talking to somebody else on their cell phones?

The wireless world has other problems, such as privacy and security, but is a powerful reminder that life can be AND, not just EITHER/OR. The Web can broaden and narrow our connectedness at the same time because we can compartmentalize our interaction with like-minded people from all over the world. And E-mail can supplement face-to-face relationships.

We still live in a world with castles and cathedrals, horses and bicycles, radios and televisions, books, snail mail and a phone in every home. But today's world is dominated by cars and computers, fast food and skyscrapers, blogs, email and a cell phone in every hand. The wireless world is the new place to hang out.I-Pads, I-Pods and I-Phones are everywhere -- ubiquitous evidence that an I-Everything is coming soon.

Oops! It's already here.


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## dither (Nov 19, 2014)

Yup!

Life eh?


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## hvysmker (Dec 1, 2014)

Some of us oldsters reject many of those modern traits.  I've been working with computers since getting out of the army in 1974.  I was on the Internet since American Online first gave me the opportunity to drop their training wheels and get on directly.

But I, like a lot of other old people, value privacy more than youngsters seem to. I don't have a Facebook account, or any of the social sites.

What I'm getting at is that I want my privacy. The less the Internet knows about me, the  better.  I have a smart phone, but only turn it on for emergencies. For instance, I'm to old to change a tire. So I hope that cellphone can't broadcast my location to everyone interested, such as  businesses trying to help me in my purchases by sending me endless "sales" ads.  I prefer to make my own decisions.  Although I have credit cards, I prefer using cash, further breaking up that old electronic trail.

Although on the internet all day long, I try to keep a low profile.

Charlie


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## escorial (Dec 2, 2014)

may i say quips man..these short hits of yours always entertain me..nice one


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## mommytozachandgrace (Dec 3, 2014)

Thought this was really interesting and very true.  As with anything, technology has its pros and cons.  Great read though!


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## qwertyportne (Dec 4, 2014)

Thanks for the thumbs up on the article, everyone. 

Charlie, yeah, privacy can be a down side, especially if they somehow "hack" your credit card. Some people take out credit cards with a certain limit for on-line purchases. I use Pay Pal. Like you, I do not Facebook.

Escorial, glad you like these "short hits." This article was one of many I put together when I was a columnist for the local newspaper. Didn't pay me much, and I had to keep them short, around 500 words. But you, a master of short, know what that's like!

Cheers, everyone.


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## blazeofglory (Dec 5, 2014)

This virtual world of me or ours disconnects me realistically and I isolate myself and dull my creative capacity. I am wired and accustomed to a world of undoing, unrealistic, and of the unknown and I do not know I am stepping in the right direction


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## qwertyportne (Dec 5, 2014)

blazeofglory said:


> I isolate myself and dull my creative capacity... I do not know I am stepping in the right direction.



Yes, that's why I mentioned the downside of people "isolating themselves from in-person relationships by spending too much time on the Internet." The virtual world can only "supplement face-to-face relationships" not replace them. Not sure how I should respond to your concern about moving in the right direction, other than referring you to my signature line.


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## Bruno Spatola (Dec 5, 2014)

Without the internet, I wouldn't even have relationships with people (outside family). I've never been that type of person, but when the net came along, I suddenly wanted to talk about everything to anyone, which then developed those skills in the real world. It cured me of my self-consciousness, in a way.

Still, that's probably not so common. I see people glued to their little screens and worry myself. Pros can eventually become cons; abuse ruins *everything*.


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## qwertyportne (Dec 5, 2014)

Without peanut butter, duck tape, WD-40 and You Tube, there would be chaos and darkness!


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## midnightpoet (Dec 6, 2014)

the good thing about a cel phone is that you're always connected.
the bad thing about a cel phone is that you're always connected.:icon_cheesygrin:


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## interactive (Dec 21, 2014)

Your story makes me realize previous to wireless life was  like 

-  - - - work ------
--  lunch      ----    ---- 
-- TV --  diner -- sleep ---
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

now it's like 
everything.
Let’s hop in the DeLorean, and have a little time-traveling adventure through the exciting history of medical research related to phones and potentially life-ending conditions – specifically seeking out those which exonerate our beloved gadgets. For the first example, we don't even need to fire up the Flux Capacitor.
Pay As You Go Cell Phone  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Pay As You Go Cell Phone   go go go go go go go 
Make that deal 
DO you hear me     I lost you 
Prepaid Cell Phone, No Contract.
Cut Your Cell Phone Bill in Half!  Looking For The Next Big Thing?

Show Trivia 
Test your reunion knowledge now!

We do things that are bad for us all the time, from smoking to bullfighting. Lots of stupid activities pose considerable dangers to our health, and we undertake them voluntarily. But normal people recognize the dangers, and either take them into consideration, or simply don’t give a toss.
Our final stop is at the American Cancer Society, where although it stops short of saying phones are safe, it does spend a lot of time listing studies which say exactly that.
It could be slowly killing us; but the clear, genuine positives outweigh the possibility of a negative.
Welcome Advice 
The cast of Bye Felicia! gives Teairra some pointers
123456789
987654321
Check Yourself 
Watch the cast give their final reaction
qolkdkfggnkrkgamg
nasjkgnjgkmhmsmk
What you say you sound all garbled  

Life before the cell phone I mis it.


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