marcum@rhino.UUCP (Alan M. Marcum) (08/06/84)
With all this
Oh my, if they don't answer the phone, how can we
contact them in an emergency?
stuff, what about if they're out for the day? If they're back-
packing? If they're flying in an airplane across the country? If
they're out for a walk, or a day's bicycle ride? If they're at a
restaurant?
Come on, folks -- are we slaves to the phone? Are we slaves to
things that occur to others?
Lest you think I'm TOTALLY insensitive, yes, of course, getting
news of something critical is important. My grandfather was
very, very near death for several weeks a year ago -- I was
prepared to catch a plane across the country to attend the
funeral, had one been necessary, at moment's notice. BUT, I did
not stop my normal life's activities.
For the record, I am Jewish. I support people who want to
continue observing the old traditions, even though I do not do so
myself. I also support people ignoring those traditions, if they
choose. (How do I stay sane? People have been wondering that
for years now.......)
--
Alan M. Marcum Fortune Systems, Redwood City, California
...!{ihnp4, ucbvax!amd, hpda, sri-unix, harpo}!fortune!rhino!marcumessachs@ihuxl.UUCP (Ed Sachs) (08/08/84)
================================================================= It seems to me that most Orthodox Jews will allow automatic devices (e.g., timers to turn lights on and off) to operate on Shabbat. Therefore, if they worry about missing important phone calls, they could purchase an answering machine which would let them listen to incoming calls <without> touching the telephone (or any other elcetrical device). Non-emergency calls would be recorded for playback after sundown. -- Ed Sachs AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxl!essachs