Electronics and Why?

I am about to offend a fair number of people; however, I could not care less. At lunch today I enter the men's restroom urinal. I proceeded to do my business. Another individual approached the urinal next to me and out of the corner of my eye; I saw that he was fooling with his Blackberry....really?!? Now obviously, many thoughts are running through my head: (1) no body is that damn important that they cannot go pee with checking mail, (2) the whole benefit of email is that people can give you a message when you are away (i.e. peeing), (3) he must not need two hands like me (how sad).

This has not been my first experience with electronics in places they shouldn't be. I first discovered my annoyance with the iPod while at college. Students were paying for an education; however, were sitting in class with the iPod in their ears. It gets better.... There were other students who at the close of class immediately put their ear phones in so that they could enjoy a minute and a half of some song while they walked to their next class. It gets better... a dumbass punk skater 18 yr. old at ASU was looking for something in a convenience store line, I had some trouble getting by him and politely said "excuse me" I received no response. Loader and a bit more firmly I said "excuse me", still no response. At this time I moved my position to get with in his sight at which time I mouthed "excuse me" he then pointed to his ears, with his iPod unremoved and said "I can't hear you". At this point I had lost it... I then informed the young man that we were having a miscommunication and proceeded to be on my way. He might have heard me say, "Dumbass that's because you have your ear phones in, (with a slight shove) shithead".

Worst of all some time ago while my wife and I were at dinner I saw a young man with his iPod in his ears and his PSP in his hands while his family was enjoying the evening. I pointed this maladjusted child to my wife and informed her that should one of our children try this I would destroy EVERY piece of electronic equipment our child owned and would well "blow my bloody lid".

So what? Well the so what is that these wonderful marvels are ruining communication abilities in our children. We are a generation away from people who are without feeling people they only know how to associate with those things without feeling. This is a sad sad situation.

So keep your phone in your damn pocket while you pee. Take your ear phones out when someone takes to you.