Parker County Today March 2018 | Page 114

our opinions: CURMUDGEON MUSINGS The Last BY MARK BROWN Word Ship Handling On Dry Land leet Admiral Ernest J. King once said, “The mark of a great ship handler is never getting into situations that require great ship handling.” I believe that applies to just about everything. So as we move along in just living life, certain things just make me stop and sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, and sometimes just stand there puzzled. I’m constantly amazed by the communication world we live in, especially the devices we own. iPads, phones etc. I was getting ready for a trip the other day, and as I was packing, I started to think back on traveling a few years ago. Packing for me now includes getting all my cords for all of my devices, two iPhones, two iPads, two extra portable chargers (because, you know if you’re an Apple device owner, you must carry extra chargers at all times) and a charging cord for my iWatch and it also includes a device that I can plug into the wall, electrical outlet, and then plug in eight charging cords. So, I now have a bag for stuff to charge my stuff. Only a few years ago, none of this was a part of the pack- ing agenda. This thought made me start looking around our house. Wow, there’s charging stuff everywhere! We even have USB plugs built into our wall sockets! We have charging stations in the bedroom, kitchen, den, game room, offices, garage, cars. And know I have a phone that supposedly F 112 can charge wirelessly, but you have to plug in the wireless charging device. This is some kind of revenge on someone’s part. Plus, if you buy the official Apple cords, (your device may blow up if you try to use the UN-official cord) the cost is obscene. I cringe at the thought of adding up the cost of all that stuff, even before I add the cost of the actual phones and pads. Of course you know what’s gonna happen, don’t you? In the not-too-distant future, Apple and the other gadget manufactures will roll out the abil- ity to charge everything through the air some- how. It will only cost the equivalent of a house payment-per-month. Then all of our cords and chargers and plugs you plug the cord into will fill up the trash dumps just like the giant computer monitors of yesteryear. No wonder Apple has more money than most countries. Remember, if you want to know what life is like on other planets, just go to the Apple store. Couple of questions and I’ll let you go. Is there anytime when call-volume is not high? Is there anytime when the right lane is not closed ahead? And to make life better for yourself and every- one else, remember Will Roger’s quote, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”