Have We Created A Monster?

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As of July 2008 California banned the use of hand-held phones while driving. Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have a similar law; and I was fine with that until I heard about new research from Japan. According to the research, drivers think they are safer when they are using hands-free phone options; and because of that, they are driving faster and having more accidents. Knowing this, people who think all phone use should be banned while driving should call their legislators - from a land line.

According to the market research company, The Radical Group, calling your legislators would be better than e-mailing them. The company reports there are more than 20 billion e-mails a day worldwide and the number is growing. Because managing e-mail is interfering with work getting done, companies are developing both technical and behavioral solutions. Some companies are discouraging the use of the "reply all" feature of e-mail. Microsoft cut e-mail by 20% using instant messaging and the telephone. Other companies are instituting e-mail-free Fridays. Is it just me or does the "e" in e-mail now stand for enough!

Enough is often the word parents use about the volume of their children's music, but they aren't the only ones who are worried about the negative effects of loud music. Scientists in St. Petersburg, Russia are worried that vibrations from rock concerts in Winter Square are damaging the art collection in the nearby Heritage Museum. According to these researchers, vibrations above 82 decibels at ten concerts can age artwork a year. Because of that research, the Rolling Stones were asked to keep their concert below that decibel level. Although I'm sure the Stones did their best to comply, only the Beach Boys make "Good Vibrations".

The vibrations weren't good at a small company in Pennsylvania and that's why a former receptionist went to federal court to file a discrimination charge against her employer. The receptionist felt that being asked to bring him coffee at 3 pm every day was discriminatory. When she refused to do it, she was fired. Now is it just me or are we expected to be so politically correct that common courtesy has to be written into job descriptions? The employer thought he had made a reasonable request and the federal judge agreed. Being asked to bring your boss coffee doesn't provide grounds - for discrimination.