Can't live without cell phones

I attended a shiur yesterday which was interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone. It took the owner of the cell phone a good few minutes to rummage through her handbag, find the device, and turn it off. In the meantime, the attendees couldn't concentrate on the lecturer's words.

I recall a few years ago, I was notified by my cell phone company that I would have to exchange my old cell phone for a new one, as the company wouldn't be able to provide service with my old phone which didn't have the latest technology installed. I gleefully exchanged my old cell phone for a brand new one, at no cost. But, soon after, I was dismayed by the small size of my new phone. It took me ages to find my new phone amongst the odds and ends in my handbag.

Today, when I read about the world's smallest cell phone currently under development, I envisaged the scenario of people searching for hours for their cell phone, while the rest of us would be subject to the incessant ringing.

"An Israeli firm has launched the world’s smallest cellular phone. The tiny phone, which has won an entry in the Guinness Book of Records, measures 7.2 centimeters (2.83 inches) by 3.76 cm. (1.47 inches) by .78 cm. (less than a third of an inch).
It has a memory of 2 GB.
Modu, whose chief executive officer Dov Moran also came up with the Disk On Key, said it will market the phone through Cellcom and later in Europe, South American and Southeast Asia. No plans have been developed yet for marketing it in the United States."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/132540

Do we really need to accumulate all the things that we are being encouraged to buy? The New York Times printed an article about people giving up air conditioning because they could no longer afford it. One family, in particular, discovered a few unexpected benefits after making do without air conditioning.

“It was when the family put up an awning and fan over their patio — effectively transforming it into their living room, where they spent about three hours a night grilling, playing games and talking instead of going their separate ways — that they discovered the upside of an uncontrolled climate.

“We spent an entire summer getting to know our kids by sitting outside trying to keep our electricity bill down,” said Ms. Holmes, who estimated that the family saved $2,100 last summer; they are repeating the experience this year. “It was very therapeutic and we got closer. We also got thinner — all of our diets changed because we were eating a lot of grilled food. And by the time fall came around, with the change in the economy, we had learned to live off less.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/garden/23air.html

Marbeh nechasim marbeh de'ogoh .– The more possessions, the more worry.