Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, July 12, 2008
CURT TRNKA: Technology needs to take a step back
Last week, a warm summer evening with friends was rudely interrupted by a cell phone call — it was my cell phone.
After resisting the urge to chuck my horribly outdated phone (It’s about a year old) into the Mississippi, I promptly ignored the call. But that phone call did get me wondering how people are surviving in this era of technology?
It seems that technology is a double-edged sword at times. Sure, thanks to cell phones we can be reached anywhere, anytime. But most people who have had a cell phone for more than a week can tell you it’s really annoying that you can be reached anytime, anywhere.
And we really need to do something about long, stupid voice mail recordings. You know, the kind where some guy feels the need to tell you all about the 40 possible reasons why he didn’t answer the phone. We don’t care that you didn’t answer; we just want to leave you a message after the beep. Now beep, already!
Everywhere I look now, I see technology being a mild pain in the ... but really, as a guy who checks his e-mail about a thousand times more often then his blood pressure, I shouldn’t be complaining. Or should I?
Here is a quick rundown of all the downsides I’ve noticed to technology lately.
Spam e-mails: As a guy in my 20s, it’s fair to say I have a healthy Internet addiction. I check my e-mail as though any minute some really important message will hit my inbox. Oh, hang on! Something written in all CAPS just came in. Apparently, I’ve won a lottery somewhere in the UK, and all they need to give me my 70 billion euros is my Social Security number and bank account information. Yup. Let me get back to you on that.
Remotes: Everyone is running into this one — the dilemma of having more remotes on your coffee table than you have electronics. To set up this scene, just imagine a guy pacing around, trying to explain to his roommate how to watch a DVD while he’s not home.
“OK, first turn on the TV. But don’t use the remote, or you might turn off the cable by accident. Now use the gray remote to turn on the DVD player, but not the big gray remote, the little one …”
Cable TV: I don’t need 78 channels. Even if I watched an hour of each channel a week, that’s easily 70 hours too many. How about this Charter and CenturyTel — let us pick and choose. I’ll still pay slightly less then the current arm, leg and first born every month, but you won’t force me to skip past three home shopping channels, Fox News and that darn religious channel that makes me remember I haven’t called my grandma in forever.
Programming a VCR’s clock: A computer programmer once told me a trick for getting your VCR to stop flashing 12:00: Put electrical tape over the display.
This is just a small sample of the ways technology can be a pest. Of course, I’m not swearing off my iPod or e-mail anytime soon. Oh, and helpful technology like Smart Boards for teachers, software for NASA engineers and just about any medical equipment that doctors use reminds me that I’ll happily put up with a few annoyances in the name of advancement.
Curt Trnka can be reached at ctrnka@lacrossetribune.com or by saying hello to the guy stocking up on electrical tape.
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