Cell Phones

[HONDO74]

You might just be addicted: Smartphone use physically affects your brain, study says
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/202 ... 809590002/

Smartphone addiction may shrink key areas of your brain in a similar way to drugs
https://www.insider.com/smartphone-addi ... ion-2020-2

Being glued to your iPhone and feeling naked without it is a lot more socially acceptable than experiencing the same pull to cocaine, but new research suggests addiction to both devices and substances have a similarly detrimental effect on key parts of the brain.

The study, out of several universities and research centers in Europe, compared 22 18- to 30-year-olds who met criteria for smartphone addiction to 26 people who did not. Using MRIs, the researchers looked at the size and activity levels of certain brain regions.

They found that those who were considered smartphone addicts had lower gray matter volume — a measure of brain cells — in several areas, including the left anterior insula, which has been "robustly associated" to substance addictions, the researchers write.

The team also found the more highly people scored on a scale measuring smartphone addiction, the less activity and volume they had in the right anterior cingulate cortex, a brain area associated with empathy, impulse control, emotion, and decision-making that's also affected in other types of addiction.

The findings, the researchers say, is the first to suggest being too attached to your phone doesn't simply manifest in how you act, but it also physically alters your brain.

While the study was small and did not prove cause and effect, so more research is needed, the researchers said that its results challenge "assumptions towards the harmlessness of smartphones, at least in individuals that may be at increased risk for developing addictive behaviors."

[Rufus T. Firefly]

And what kind of phone do you have?

While the study was small and did not prove cause and effect,

So this was simply more hype and a PR stunt to get more funding.

[HONDO74]

And what kind of phone do you have?

It's a prepay flip phone the we bought back in 2007. The only thing it is good for is making a phone call, It's a dumb phone. Works for me.

It has so many minutes on it from lack of use that it only cost $5 per month to keep it operational. However the last time I paid they said it would not function after this year so it looks like I will have to get one of those computers to carry with me they call a smart prone.

This will be scary because I'm not sure I have enough grey matter left to use it.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

And what kind of phone do you have?

It's a prepay flip phone the we bought back in 2007. The only thing it is good for is making a phone call, It's a dumb phone. Works for me.

Flip phone also - it had texting but I turn that off.

It has so many minutes on it from lack of use that it only cost $5 per month to keep it operational. However the last time I paid they said it would not function after this year so it looks like I will have to get one of those computers to carry with me they call a smart prone.

Mine is free! 2 extra included in our old Verizon contract that they really, really, really would like us to end.....not happening!

Try looking at Consumer Cellular - they supplied me with a flip phone that I use when I'm at my place in PA - it sort of works there unlike Verizon.

This will be scary because I'm not sure I have enough grey matter left to use it.

Turn everything off except the phone function.

[J. S. Bach]

And what kind of phone do you have?

None, I turned my service off last month as I did not use enough to justify paying for the service; maybe fifteen minutes in three or more months. I will say that the camera feature got a lot more use, though.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

And what kind of phone do you have?

None, I turned my service off last month as I did not use enough to justify paying for the service; maybe fifteen minutes in three or more months. I will say that the camera feature got a lot more use, though.

When I got mine for several years I left it in the car on the charger - it was for emergency use only. Since the land line is next to useless being a sink for spam and robocalls, the cell has become my primary.

[robert.]

Mine has become an important business tool. It’s a camera, a level, map,log book, credit card and it measures distance rather well.

[v8vega]

I was late getting a call phone of any kind. I got a iphone a year ago. Tech doesn't come easy to me but with the help of friends I learned it way quicker than I thought. I was so proud of myself, I felt like I had joined the rest of the world.
I go to church a lot and in general I have watched people and their phones. some every few minutes check their phone for anything new I guess. A Text or Facebook or who knows what. I'm not one of those. A lot of people do this.
I see young people who type really fast.
Last night I was sitting next to a guy who seemed to be just scrolling through his phone in kind of a nervous manner over and over.
I like having a camera always near by, I enjoy posting on Facebook and texting my out of state loved ones, often with a picture.

[healey36]

Since the land line is next to useless being a sink for spam and robocalls, the cell has become my primary.

I haven't moved totally to the cell-phone, but I agree, the land-line is just non-stop marketing/charity calls (and yes, I'm on the do-not-call list). Nearly non-stop south-Asian types introducing themselves as "Google" or "Microsoft". I even get spam calls that show up on my caller-id as my own home phone number. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so damn annoying.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Since the land line is next to useless being a sink for spam and robocalls, the cell has become my primary.

I haven't moved totally to the cell-phone, but I agree, the land-line is just non-stop marketing/charity calls (and yes, I'm on the do-not-call list). Nearly non-stop south-Asian types introducing themselves as "Google" or "Microsoft". I even get spam calls that show up on my caller-id as my own home phone number. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so damn annoying.

Every time we block a number, a new one pops up. All I get on my cell are calls about health care and the warranty that about to expire on my 10 year old car.

[rogruth]

Since the land line is next to useless being a sink for spam and robocalls, the cell has become my primary.

I haven't moved totally to the cell-phone, but I agree, the land-line is just non-stop marketing/charity calls (and yes, I'm on the do-not-call list). Nearly non-stop south-Asian types introducing themselves as "Google" or "Microsoft". I even get spam calls that show up on my caller-id as my own home phone number. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so damn annoying.

Every time we block a number, a new one pops up. All I get on my cell are calls about health care and the warranty that about to expire on my 10 year old car.

Rufus,
The phone calls are probably some of the few things we have in common. I think I get the same ones.

[Mitch]

A couple of years ago, my wife gave a little money to our local police force. Now we get calls from Miami, NYC, cities in New Jersey, from all over Pennsylvania and other states. They must have posted our number with a "Here's a soft touch" advisory. The "Do Not Call" list means nothing. It's like donating to the American Cancer Society. Once you give, you'll not only receive weekly solicitations for more, you'll get solicitations from 10 other organizations. If they didn't spend so much on junk mail solicitations, they'd have a lot more money for research.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

A couple of years ago, my wife gave a little money to our local police force. Now we get calls from Miami, NYC, cities in New Jersey, from all over Pennsylvania and other states. They must have posted our number with a "Here's a soft touch" advisory.

Are you sure it was really the local police? We get calls from the "VA State Police" and it's really a "fund raising" company somewhere in PA that is not licensed as a charitable org in VA, so they are illegal and probably just a scam operating nation-wide.

Next time anyone calls, ask them for their address and state license. Do that a few times and the calls drop off fast.

The "Do Not Call" list means nothing.

It was a good idea that lacks the technology and funding to enforce.

It's like donating to the American Cancer Society. Once you give, you'll not only receive weekly solicitations for more, you'll get solicitations from 10 other organizations. If they didn't spend so much on junk mail solicitations, they'd have a lot more money for research.

I just drop it all into the fireplace and get a some benefit from their mailings,

[MYmoo]

To all:

Thank you for showing some of the reasons for 'undesired' 'annoyances' encountered using
modern tools for (dis)information retrieval and dissemenation.

Other 'reasons' not mentioned yet, that will 'sell you out', include (in no particular
order):

!!!!LACK OF COMMON SENSE by ALL!!!!

Many, which "YOU" authorized directly/indirectly/unknowingly thru another 'something'
you 'agreed' to.

EULA's. (End User license agreement).
TOS's. (terms of service)
UPGRADES. (software/firmware)
OCCUPATIONAL. (required/necessary/informational/problem solving)
PUBLIC RECORDS. (available at litle/no cost, (some 'legwork' may be required, tho))

Do you ...
have a credit/debit card?,
insurance? (any form),
own a car, plane, boat, train, or any other type of vehicle?
license/register the above named?,
collect 'points' at your favorite financial institution,
big-box store, refuelling station, supermarket?,

Did you take the time to read the 'fine' print/manual?
Did you have to "Click Here!"?
or "sign on the dotted line"?,
or "Enter search terms here:_____",
to obtain the desired service or product?

Did the webpage/app offer you the opportunity to 'share'/'like' the product/service?,
or inform you that "'people' who like 'xx*' may also like 'xxx*'"?
(*Leave the 'xx' and 'xxx' in place or substitute with terms of your choice.)

Some other things to consider....

When better locks are built, better lock-pickers will appear.

Laws/rules are different in other countries,
continents, south/north of the border, anywhere.

If you cannot find anything 'wrong' with 'it' or 'it's fun to do',
make it 'illegal' so you can overtax/fine 'it'.
($$$$$$$ (more is better) and can add to the 'exclusions'/'permissions' granted.)
------
@MITCH
Please don't be too hard on your wife.
I am 99% sure that your experiences after, are as you surmised, due to other causes.

Thank You for the help on the Caravan awhile back.
I got 'frustrated' working thru the PMing, and differences in hardware and software,
and (stiii) unsure of whether the message/Thank You got thru to you.
-----

As for me, (Forgive me for not being 'short and concise' (most here do it better than I)
but sometimes us 'silent folk' need to speak up),
and,

I continue to be amazed and dazed and sometimes confused
that the 'modern WWW' works as well as it does, warts, hair/hat color and all.

=======

[robert.]

Mymoo. Easiest way to say it is “if you use a free product, you are the product”.