OT: Much of our culture is based upon ...

[Arkcon]

I got into an intensive argument with some relatives the other day. My point -- the telephone was a dumb invention.

People really hated it a century ago. It ruined the fabric of their society. Back then, you couldn't just talk to anybody, anytime. You had to be introduced, and you had to be of similar social status. The telephone broke all of that to smithereens.

Back when I was a kid, the phone was a communication device for family and friends. Now we're swamped with telemarketers, who refuse to believe once they've got our phone number, that we don't want any.

Now coupled with Caller ID (when its not blocked -- thanks phone company, charge us for a service then take cash from someone else to deny us the service) and answering machines (when they bother to answer -- their automated systems allow them to not bother speaking to a machine) its almost useful again.