12/19 http://upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051217-074635-6362r
So theaters want to allow cell phone blocking in theaters. Here's a
better idea: throw the people who talk on their cell phones in
theaters out. And allow responsible cell phone owners to receive
emergency calls.
\_ Wow -- you are the troll master! I bow before your trollish
expertise! I've seldom seen so much traffic generated with such an
innocuous post.
\_ Sadly, I was serious, not trolling.
\_ I think throwing someone out of a movie theater when they're not
willing to give up their $10-15 is likely to be far more disruptive
than a typical phone call.
\_ Huh? What does that even mean?
\_ how do you throw them out from the middle of a packed theater?
\_ I think when calls are being blocked signs should be
required saying so. I've been in several stores where they
are obviously blocked and could've lost important calls. If
they block signals they should be obligated to say so.
\_ Sure. That seems pretty reasonable.
\_ No it doesn't. I want to receive emergency calls. I set
my phone to silent when I go to the movies, and I want to
receive emergency calls.
\_ Don't go to those theatres that block calls then. No
one is forcing you to patronize those establishments.
\_ Well, yes that's the point. If they don't want my
business, I guess they won't get it.
\_ If they want mine, they'll block your calls. Your
emergency is my disturbance. I paid to be there
to see a movie, not hear your conversation. If
you are so important you can't be out of touch for
2 hours, don't go to the movies. Question: are
these "emergency calls" from work? No one's
work is that important. If you're a brain surgeon
you can afford a nice home theatre. If you're
some techie, they should hire more people and get
an oncall rotation.
\_ What if it's the babysitter calling you to
let you know the kid's in an accident?
\_ the babysitter should know where you
are. At least this was how it was
before cell phones.
\_ I'm confused. Are you saying that there
are some circumstances (babysitter/
accidental kid) where it's ok to interrupt
a public event with a cell phone call?
Or that since the babysitter should know
the number of the venue, it's never ok?
I can imagine it could be difficult to
find a movie theatre employee to
communicate an emergency if cell is
blocked. Also, what happens if you make
an unscheduled stop in a cell-blocking
venue, or if you don't realize the venue
is cell-blocking?
\_ There was life before cell phones.
If you make the decision to watch a
movie you should be able to be
incommunicado for that time.
\_ There was also life before fire.
Are you saying that there is no
circumstance under which you would
consider acceptible to interrupt a
public venue with a cell phone call?
\_ Give me an example. Whatever it
is probably won't be helped by
someone being notified in their
movie, or else someone didn't
plan properly.
\_ Movie theatre, babysitter,
accidental child. Let's even
say accident serious enough
for ambulance and hospital
emergency room. Movie
theatre number leads to
voicemail (at best) or just
infomercial (at worst). Is
it ok to call the cell
directly then?
\_ I thought "accidental
children" are what you
MAKE at the [drive in]
movie theater.
\_ How would it help? Sure,
leave a message in their
cell voicemail. I don't
care if people call the
cell, I care if they
answer it. I'm just saying
blocking it wouldn't be
a big deal. Honestly in
that situation calling
the parent RIGHT NOW would
probably not even matter.
Parent will go OMG and
race over to hospital etc,
who cares. I don't know
why I'm discussing this
though because I don't
even care about this
subject. Damn you motd!
\_ If it were your child,
would you want to take
the call immediately,
or would a message be
good enough? If you
have trouble imagining
a child, what if a
parent/sibling/other
loved one had an
accident? Would a
message be good enough
or would you want the
call? Don't we all have
children or other loved
ones? You might find
the question difficult
because your position
that no responsible
would want to take a
cell call in a theatre
is untenable. What
if you have a stroke,
and you need emergency
medical help? Do you
want to wait for someone
to find a land line or
to find the theatre
staff? Or would you
want someone to call
911 on a cell?
If you're this _/
neurotic about it,
then either don't
go to the movies or
find a theater that
doesn't block (if
it should come to
that). Making the
rest of the theater
suffer rude morons
because of your
hangups is stupid.
Of course they'd WANT the call, that _/
is beside the point. They would have
the choice not to go to the theater.
How are you going to call while you
are having a stroke? Just yell help.
There should be plenty of other ways
to get help.
\_ Ob I said "want someone to call". Ob
I also said "do you want to wait..."
You realize you'r grasping because your
position is not defendable.
\_ Ob you kept adding to your post
and I kept merging my reply. You
realize you're stupid.
\_ You realize that accidents and
medical emergencies are by
definition not likely to be
predictable. You're still
grasping because your position
is still not defendable.
\_ This reply is not relevant.
Non-cell-phone communication
is sufficient. QED. (I suppose
you never fly because your
precious cell phones have to
be turned off.)
\_ Quite the contrary. This
directly addresses your
repeated claim that "they
would have the choice not
to go". If they knew they
were slated for an
emergency, then they would
have a choice. But
accidents and emergencies
are by definition not
predictable. So you asked
for a scenario, and I've
given it. Are you saying
that even under the 2
scenarioes I've described
(accident to loved one and
stroke), a cell phone call
in the theatre is still
not acceptable?
\_ As a patron that doesn't
give a shit about your
problems, yes. I'm
there to spend my $10
and have a good time,
not listen to every
doofus in the theater
dealing with their
'emergencies'.
\_ You mean you will be
more annoyed than
sympathetic if some-
one in the theatre
has a stroke?
\_ I don't see that
as likely enough
to take seriously.
\_ That's exactly what I
am saying, yes. Well,
to be more precise, the
possible benefit is
outweighed by the
negatives.
\_ OK. And I am sure
everyone agrees with
you. Let's just
pray that you and
yours are not
accident prone.
\_ I bet > 90% of the
people in the
theater agree that
your emergencies
are annoying.
\_ Do you never travel to
anywhere without cell
phone coverage?
\_ Often. But in those
cases there is
always someone
(airline, hotel,
office, etc.) who
will be responsible
for messages.
\_ so you never
like go hiking in a national
park, or go biking or rafting?
Right because if the world isn't _/
stopped and you notified, then
your loved ones would die. How
else are you gonna know to put on
your supersuit and fly into orbit
to divert the rogue asteroid?
\_ You're saying because I couldn't
instantenously fly home from
Europe (let's say), I shouldn't
want to drive across town to
a hospital?
\_ You'll do it when you find
out. Chill.
\_ And if the health of a
loved one is at stake,
would you want to go
immediately or wait for
the movie to be over?
\_ Not everything revolves
around what you want.
\_ No, I am asking you.
What would *you*
want? And we're
all "you", since
all of us have loved
ones.
want?
I wouldn't know, _/
seeing as how my
cell was off, so
I'd wait for the
movie to be over. What is your job?
Do you micromanage everything and
never delegate any responsibility?
\_ I asked what
you would
*want* to be
able to do, not
what you might
be able to do.
Why is this
such a
difficult
question to
answer? And
I notice that
you keep try-
ing to this a
professional
responsiblity
question,
while I keep
trying to ask
questions about
family and
loved ones. Why
try so hard to
dodge a simple
question? If
it were your
loved one who
had an acci-
dent, when do
you *want* to
be notified?
[tick tock]
Still no
answer? Tsk
tsk. Scared
of answering
the question,
no? In any
case, I have
a meeting I
have to take,
so you're off
the hook.
Would you *want* to _/
get paid $20000/yr
for no reason by
the government?
Quite honestly, I wouldn't want to be paid _/
$20k by the government. I make plenty on
my own, and I am sure there are others who
need the money more. To answer your question
generally, the government does in fact give
out money, and there are processes set up
to determine if your have governmentally-
approved need to qualify for the money.
You don't understand
the context of the
question. It's an
either/or thing. Would
I want to know? yes.
I also want not to be
bothered by phones.
I don't arrange my
life such that being
on instant's notice is
important, and when it
is I don't go to thtrs
You keep saying that you are able to arrange _/
your life such that you don't have emergencies.
You seem to not understand that by definition
you cannot predict when an emergency will
occur. So when an emergency occurs (when
your child is hospitalized, to use the current
example), you are willing to wait until you
are out of the theatre to be notified. Can
you predict when your child will be in an
accident and require medical attention?
You seem to claim you can, and you can
therefore arrange your life around that event.
I tend to believe you can never predict when
an accident will happen, and therefore
arranging to be available for one is
impossible. But your position is clear, and
your claims are consistent. (Though to be quite
honest I don't believe in your claim one whit
when an actual emergency does accur. YOu'll
want that phone call and scramble out the
theatre like everyone else).
impossible.
\_ now you're putting words in my mouth. just
forget it. look, *I* am not the one who
will adminster medical attention, comprende?
\_ you can always hire
a part-time personal
secretary (kind of
like a baby sitter)
to stay outside the
theatre with a cell
phone in case there's
an emergency. I mean
isn't your child's
life more important
than the $40 per hour
cost of hiring a
personal cell phone
answering messenger?
In fact, I don't think
you should even go out
to watch a movie. It's
mere entertainment.
what if some drunk
driver hit your car
and kill you. Your kids
would be left without
a parent. Would you
want your kids to lose
a parent because of
your selfish desire
to watch a movie?!
Also, why are you
carrying a cell phone?
Didn't you know that
many people believe
that they cause tumors?
Do you want to die of
cancer and leave your
kids without a parent?!
You motherfucking selfish
bastard! Please answer
the simple choice
questions above. If
you can't, please STFU!
movie to be over.
\_ You're an idiot. Just because medical
emergencies are unpredictable doesn't mean
you can't prepare for the worst. Stay home
and let other theater-goers be, okay?
\_ I didn't say I wanted to have a conversation in
a theater. My phone is silent when I go to the
movies. If it vibrates, I'll leave the theater
to answer it. Pay attention kid.
\_ I agree. Like it or not there ARE people
who use the cell phone infrastructure to
do emergency preparedness, and this is
something the government wants. Cell
phones are quite good at fullfilling
these tasks while allowing freedom of
movement. What will happen when a cell
phone jammer blocks a call from someone
say at a cafe right next to a theater?
\_ Oh fuck! Good point! You might have to
go OUTSIDE and make the call! Oh woe,
woooooe!
\_ Hell, what if you have a stroke while
you're watching a movie? What additional
damage will your body suffer while you're
trying to find a land line if cell phones
are blocked?
\_ I've got an easier solution: kick out anyone who makes noise in the
theater. Really, which is worse:
a) someone whose phone is on vibrate, answers it, then TALKS on it
b) someone whose phone rings, but they quickly silence it
c) screaming kid
d) non-stop yakkers
See my point?
\_ a) hit them with a bat, b) boot to the head for having it on in
the first place, c) hit their parents with a bat, d) hit both of
them with a bat.
\_ You know.. that's not the solution to everything. What would
you do if someone threw a ball at you? Huh?
\_ CSUA bat uber alles!
\_ The kid should be hit with a small bat so it will learn.
\_ My personal opinion is that if you block cell phone signals, then
you also need to not allow people to bring infants into the theater.
Afterall, if a cell phone rings, most people can turn it off within
seconds. Not so easy with a baby. I think that in the future,
maybe they can have a system that will automatically turn everyone's
cell phone to silent mode if they are in the theater. Restricting
the signal might be the best solution in some ways, but that's
unfortunate. People should just have the courtesy not to have
a conversation (phone or to the person next to them) during a
movie.
\- i actually would be perfectly happy with the disruption of a
movie to see the spectacle of somebody thrown out. in fact if
that were a likely possibility, i would go to theathers so
that were a likely possibility, i would go to theathers to
see that and would feel disappointed if it didnt happen. in fact
i think if it happened 5 times, that would be fine too. i dunno
where marginal returns become negative. i realize this will
never happen in amercica tho. i also wish a strong norm would
evolve about how late you can save seats in a crowded theater.
the problem of somebody tall sitting in front of you at the last
min doesnt seem solvable.
minute doesnt seem solvable. |
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