Solar Storms Could Mean Problems

Ron61 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 06:00 AM

Just saw this and thought that some of you might be interested in it. If a big flare hits here it could ever stop cell phones.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/201006...larstormsahead

Ron

VRM · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 11:22 AM

Good! Without cellphones maybe people would concentrate a bit more on driving.

Naahhh...what was I thinking?!?

Steve

Wayne Maybury · #3 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 12:40 PM

Steve, are you kidding me?

I was travelling with my new boss 3 weeks ago when his Blackberry went on the fritz. Instead of just leaving it off, he must have turned that stupid thing on and off 25 or 30 times in one afternoon. Of course he was driving at the time and I was sure we were going to smack another car on at least two occasions while he was playing with the thing.

Many peole are totally adicted to i-phones, Blackberries, and whatever. They just cannot live without them. I only use my cell phone when travelling and I turn it off at 4:30 in the afternoon. Anything after that can wait until 8:30 the next morning.

Of course I am practicing to be an old phart.

Wayne

Ron61 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 04:01 PM

Wayne,

Practicing!!!!

There is a guy here that stops nearly every morning in front of my place and I went out to see what he wanted and he was talking on his cell phone. The only one that I have ever seen do that around here. He told me that he has enough trouble trying to avoid the fools talking on them while driving and that if he was talking at the same time he would certainly wind up in a wreck.

Ron

CobraEd · #5 (**permalink**) 06-11-2010, 07:03 AM

Cell phones and Crackberries were the worst things ever invented on this planet!!!!

.

FWB · #6 (**permalink**) 06-11-2010, 11:11 AM

while i am centuries younger than ron......literally, i used to carry a cell phone.
now only when i go on a long trip i carry one, it stays turned off. i have it for outgoing calls only, emergency, or to call home when in a hotel. when i'm in a car that is my time to not answer a phone, whatever it is can wait til i arrive or go home.

Ron61 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-11-2010, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FWB

while i am centuries younger than ron......literally, i used to carry a cell phone.
now only when i go on a long trip i carry one, it stays turned off. i have it for outgoing calls only, emergency, or to call home when in a hotel. when i'm in a car that is my time to not answer a phone, whatever it is can wait til i arrive or go home.

True. But I don't even have a cell phone to carry. I have thought about trying to find just a cheap one that I could leave in the car in case I get out and have something break or need a tow truck. But I haven't looked to see if I can even find one that just makes calls and doesn't have all of the other gadgetry on it any more.

Ron

63mercury · #8 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 06:35 PM

I have one of those no gadgetry cell phones and it is only on when I need to use it, it's a TRAC phone, I buy minutes every couple months just to keep the same # so the wife can call and tell me what to bring home. I still have a hard time retreving her messages so I just call her.

Ron61 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 06:10 AM

I have one of those no gadgetry cell phones and it is only on when I need to use it, it's a TRAC phone,

Where did you find it? Our Walmart and Target used to have them but the last time I asked about them they said they didn't have any and may not get any more. I have to go to my eye doctor tomorrow so I may check back in at Walmarts and see.

Ron

Wayne Maybury · #10 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 06:26 AM

A couple of years ago, I needed a new cell phone as my old one was acting up. I told the sales lady that I had one priority for the phone and that is good reception (this was before digital)

. She starts asking what color I want, do I want to take pictures?, bla, bla, bla. I told her that she was not listening; I needed a phone that will give me good reception. She just could not seem to understand that all I wanted to do was to be able to hear, and be heard, clearly.

Wayne

Ron61 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 06:51 AM

Wayne,

That is the problem around here. We have so many mountains that reception is hit and miss at best, but all the sales people want to sell is the phones that will do everything but make a phone call. I just want it for an emergency and not to watch movies, browse the Internet, take pictures, and everything else they will do. Also I don't want a 2 year contract.

Ron

Wayne Maybury · #12 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 07:25 AM

Ron, I am still working so the company supplies me with a cell phone as well as a lap top and the internet/email connection I need to work out of my home. However, I am going to have to look at my alternatives when I retire. A cell phone with 10 or 20 minutes per month should do as I rarely use it for personal reasons. I will probably extend my existing DSL connection here at home for the internet but the cost will go down when I convert it to a personal use rather than a business use. I am hoping that the company will give me this lap top as it already has all of my personal favorites and connections in it. If they won't give it to me, I will try to buy it just so that I don't have to start all over entering my stuff into a new computer.

Wayne

Ron61 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 12:51 PM

Wayne,

We seem to have the same reasons for wanting a basic cell phone. Just for an emergency. As for the laptop, can't you just copy your personal stuff onto another external drive and then put it into your home computer if the company won't give you the one that you are using? But it seems they should just give it to you as it will be so outdated by the time you retire they will most likely be upgrading.

Ron

Wayne Maybury · #14 (**permalink**) 06-16-2010, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron61

Wayne,

But it seems they should just give it to you as it will be so outdated by the time you retire.

Ron

That is exactly what I am hoping will happen.

I made sure that I got a new lap top approximately 3 years before my planned retirement date so it will still be in great shape but at the same time considered obsolete.

Wayne

Ron61 · #15 (**permalink**) 06-16-2010, 06:25 AM

Three years old. That will be a museum piece by then. Technology is moving so fast that yesterdays computers are already outdated. This one I am using is almost 10 years old.

Ron

Joe Wicked · #16 (**permalink**) 06-16-2010, 09:43 AM

Ron,
Yesterdays computers? Hell tomorrows computers are already out of date today.

Ron61 · #17 (**permalink**) 06-16-2010, 11:45 AM

Joe,

Boy is that ever true. By the time they make them public they are already using ones that are three generations advanced. That is why I laugh when I hear people around here talking about waiting until next month so they can get the latest and best computers out.I know one person that actually waited a full year trying to be sure he would get the latest and best and every time he would get ready to buy one there would be a newer model show up.

Ron