Hey, technology.....and cars

So I was in the automated car wash the other day, sitting there while my car was buffeted on all sides by jets of water, and I saw a curious sign. It read "If car wash stops, stay in car and call 123-1234" (or whatever the number was). I was thinking to myself: What happens if you don't have a cell phone? Do you get out of the car? Do you just sit there until help comes? Is the cell phone really so prevalent that we assume everyone has one?

I can't find the reference for you, but I know that it was within the last couple of years that a certain part of the rural southern US got their first LAND LINES for phone service! Based on that I wouldn't assume universal cell phone ownership.

The trend continues on down the road, to the emergency services on highways. Now, instead of signs announcing call boxes, there are signs telling you to call *123 (again, whatever the number is) on your cell.

Luckily we CAN assume everyone has AM/FM radio by this point, right? So the signs saying "tune dial to AM 1060 for weather updates" are still applicable. Welllllll, no. AM radio is well on it's way out of the picture, as music players, when they have radios, do not typically have the AM feature. Still standard in cars, but the prevalence of after-market sound systems is eliminating radio altogether.

When I went out of town I took my new laptop, new digital camera, my son had his iPod, I had my cell, he had his cell. We had at least one AC power cord for each item, and then car chargers, rechargeable battery charger (AC and car), and of course cables for them to communicate with each other. It actually makes me feel good to charge things while I am driving -- I feel as if I am getting more out of my fuel emissions.

Well, I am supposed to be working. I am making a kilt tonight, and a dress, but that is after i go help my friend with some sewing and before karaoke....