[MR] Pennsic Cell Phones

[Tatsushu .]

Well, I could think of several things that drag me out of a medieval 
atmosphere more quickly, I do admit that events should, at a minimum, be 
treated like the movie theater--turn it onto vibrate if you must have your 
phone with you.

I'm not as drawn out by people talking on the phone.  Heck, I've seen people 
talking to themselves without a phone!  I can ignore that just as I can 
ignore the little walkie-talkies that, while non-period, are a great way to 
help a few people coordinate and get things done at large events and large 
event sites.  Also, I realize that for some people if they cannot have a 
connection back to work they cannot come.  Yes, this isn't why most people 
bring their phones, but some people do actually need them and the only way 
they can come to Pennsic and still have a job when they get back.  Thus, I 
would be against the banning of cell phones (although encouraging 
discreetness of use is, imho, a great thing).

-Ii


----Original Message Follows----
Hail, fellow tavern dwellers!
      This Pennsic I noticed a rather disturbing trend: Cell phones ringing
everywhere I went, whiling teaching classes, or while walking down the 
street,
or while eating in the market place.  This grew to be very annoying very
quickly.  Nothing will ruin any semblance of period atmosphere more quickly 
than the
shrill chirp of a cell phone (even if it is playing Handel's "Messiah").
This was coupled with the image of peopld walking down the street, 
appearantly
talking animatedly to themselves until one got close enough to them to see 
the
cell phone in their hand.
      Now, I begin to ask the question:  is this necessary?  I can 
understand
that some people want to be instantly contactable for emergency purposes, 
but
really, the advent of the cell phone occurred very recently, and somehow the
HUman race not only survived, but thrived happily without it.
        What does everyone else think?  Am I the only one who noticed and 
was
bothered by it?  I am thinking of writing to next year's event steward and
asking that they enforce a ban on cell phone ringers (one can set one's cell
phone to vibrate, which would then not bother anyone).

Yours,
Judith de Northumbria
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