From time to time I see where technology has either created or failed to solve a problem in our society. Actually I see lots of them so I will try not to ramble. Here are a few of examples:

Phone systems - I can remember when the government forced Bell Telephone (or was it called AT&T) to break up in order to comply with anti-trust laws (in other words they were a monoply). Well soon after that we have lots of baby-Bells, regional phones systems. Now there are lots of phone options and service is good so that decision seems to have worked. But now I see where AT&T has bought Bell-South so isn't that going back the wrong direction?

Cell phone service - Recently several cell phone companies have bought out rival companies (one example - AT&T bought Cingular) but realized that they were having MAJOR problems recognizing all the different calling plans and options that the new other company had promised the customer. Result - in a recent poll of POOR customer service, cell phone companies dominatd the list.

Airline travel - On-time flights are getting rarer and rarer at a time when technology, weather forecasting, computer power  and communications are getting cheaper and more powerful. What is up with that? Actually I know some stuff on that and it is a long complicated story, but it interesting. That is a bad mix of regulations and private companies. The FAA seems to regulate enough to get in the way but doesn't have the power to control the problems. Major airlines fly smaller planes and more flights, because they say that is what the customer's want, but that causes air congestion and late flights, which is NOT what the customer wants.

Any comments on any of these subjects?

Hey JustADude,

I don't have alot to comment on them, but I see your complaint.  Man, what a difference from the days when we didn't have Mobile phones at all!  I remember backpacking alone for days without any form of communication with the outside world.

I got really frustrated as well with the conglomerates.  I switched to "Net-10" because it's a "no thrill" 10 cents a minute, no matter what!  No bills.  No family stuff.  Just 10 cents a minute!  That's all.

Airlines.... I see your concern with the congestion problem especially.  I believe it will only get worse, and someday we'll have commuting aircraft you take off from your own driveway!  Doesn't that sound scary?  Maybe it will look like "Episode 1, 2 and 3 of Starwars" where the world-wide city is nothing but "airlanes."  I hope FAA can handle that one!

Sorry I couldn't elaborate much more on the craziness of this planet.

Mick @ Canyon Lake, Texas

Good topics, JustADude.  Here's my knee jerk thoughts:

AT&T?  I say go for it.  If you can provide what the customer wants in terms of quality, service and price then you desrve to be as big a player as you want.  Nobody wants to break-up Frito-Lay and they dominate the chip market to the tune of about 95%.  If you are the best and everyone wants to buy from you that's OK.  Big just scares a lot of people (think Wal-Mart).

Cell phone service?  I hope that someday we mature past the oh-my-god-I've-got-a-cool-little-dohicky-that-I-can-talk-to-anybody-anytime-all-the-time-and-even-send-little-half-written-notes-with-even-if-I-don't-have-a-damned-thing-to-say stage and start to use this technology for real communication (yeah, like that's ever going to happen).  Until then this is the most abused invention since guns and TV.

Airline Travel?  On 9/11 we traded comfort and convenience for a sense (real or not) of security, and have yet to figure out how to do both well.  The logistics of running an airline make it one of the most expensive businesses in the world to run, but folks want to fly as-cheap-as-possible so the airlines suffer from the disease of hurting the customer by trying to please the customer.  We all complain about the congestion, late flights, and discomfort (tell me about it, I'm 6' 2" -- 260 and won't pay for 1st Class), but we still line up at the ticket windows.  Kinda like being a Cubs fan (guilty).