Sound Politics: Joni Balter, Luddite

May 10, 2007

Joni Balter, Luddite

Joni Balter says: "Thumbs down to text messaging"

I'm all for new ways of communicating, though this mode has a certain anonymous, no-face-time quality to it. Phone manners are neither learned nor necessary. Good grammar and spelling r 2 b 4 gotten.

Good thing Balter wasn't around during the age of the telegram.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 10, 2007 10:18 AM | Email This

Comments

1. Much prefer text messaging to pagers. I'm pretty anal about English, but this is one place where spelling and grammar don't count. Short message = cheap!

Posted by: Peggy U on May 10, 2007 10:33 AM

2. goofball. stop.
-
-
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-please!

Posted by: scott158 on May 10, 2007 11:10 AM

3. Actually Joni is more of a "BOURGEOISE BOHEMIAN" that a Luddite.
Joni struggles daily with whether or not to be a pretend hippy or an Elitist trapsing around the world with her friggin' laptop!

Read "BoBo's in Paradise" by David Brooks....
It IS Seattle!!!
If you haven't ever read it, it is a MUST read.
Like a "Survival Manual" to handle life in the Marxist Jungle called Seattle.
Life being a "BoBo in Seattle" is filled with almost hourly agonizing decisions on whether to be a Bohemian Enviro-conscience Marxist.....or saying F*ck it and being a Capitalist, Elitist Pig.

Has anyone out there read "BoBo's in Paradise"???

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on May 10, 2007 11:23 AM

4. Balter's columns r 2 b 4 gotten, as they uniformed, lacking logic and close to unreadable. I prefer an informed, logical text message to Balterdash any time.

Posted by: JCM on May 10, 2007 11:28 AM

5. Joni has joined Ron Sims as Official Village Idiot for Washington

Posted by: Hiker on May 10, 2007 12:01 PM

6. You're so cheap you can't actually talk to someone? Cripes, this isn't the Philippines where talking on your cell costs 10 times what texting does, and when you text someone their phone still goes off and annoys everyone within earshot.

Posted by: H Moul on May 10, 2007 12:22 PM

7. At least with text messaging I get to talk to my girls in high school. And I don't have to listen to their tinny music (muzaack) they play while waiting for the girls to answer.

And, teenagers don't have a lot of money for cell phone bills, so I disagree with the cost factor.

Posted by: swatter on May 10, 2007 12:35 PM

8. How about a piece entitled: "Thumbs down on Balter Columns?"

Posted by: Hinton on May 10, 2007 12:52 PM

9. I blame her editor.

Isn't part of that job making sure that garbage goes in the roundfile? Somebody slipped up.

Posted by: thecomputerguy on May 10, 2007 12:55 PM

10. Joni still looks for the crank on the phone, and she asks, "Hello, Central?"

Joni was overheard asking what that oval-shaped, white porcelein thing is in the little room off the hall.

Joni was seen looking for a Woolworth's the other day. She wanted to sit at the fountain and drink a nickel Coke.

Joni wonders when women will get the vote.

Joni thinks it's best that Rob and Laura Petrie do, in fact, sleep in twin beds.

Joni distrusts any mode of transport that isn't fueled by oats that are then transformed into something for her callow lillies.

Joni pines for the politics of Arthur Langlie.

Joni is having trouble finding film for her Kodak.

Joni drinks Folger's.

Joni___________________________(You fill in the blank!)

The Piper

Posted by: Piper Scott on May 10, 2007 01:23 PM

11. H Moul: I guess I don't mind it because I have one kid in high school and another in college. They often turn their ringers off, because it is rude to have them go off in class or at work. Sometimes, though not frequently, they text message at the end of class or during work.

Because of the plan we have, it actually costs us to text message, whereas in-network talk is unlimited. So, we only use it when necessary. I still think a cell phone on vibrate is less disruptive than old-fashioned pagers.

Posted by: PeggyU on May 10, 2007 01:29 PM

12. I had the misfortune of going to the movies recently with a bunch of teens text messaging each other, and each time it would make a lovely beep or song when the message was received. I've pretty much given up going to the movies any more because of rude cell phone users.

Text messaging shorthand has made its way into students' written work, which is unfortunate as well. Whenever I see it in professional emails or other correspondence, I cringe.

Posted by: Palouse on May 11, 2007 11:42 AM

13. Palouse: They could have turned the sound off. That is rude! It's probably why I dislike pagers. They are disruptive and annoying when they go off during movies and concerts. Same old problem, different device!

Posted by: Peggy U on May 11, 2007 12:06 PM