Times u.k.: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4969312.ece Anyone purchasing a cell phone must present a passport and be registered in a database. Terrorists about; you know!
Coming to a country near you! Don't think for one moment that it won't happen here in the future. If (read as when) another devastating terror attack occurs on US soil things like this will start right away. We'll have to refuse en mass but I have no faith in the masses so I won't hold my breath! Byte
I have no cell phone and no plans to get one, neither need nor desire for that much instant gratification. What think you they will do about folks like me?
We had that crap over here in Germany forever, although I figure that they are more worried about people defaulting and not paying their due's. I once tried to get a new cell phone and they wouldn't let me have one on my English Passport, so I showed them my Hunters licence and asked them if they'd accept that, and the answer was "NO". So I thanked them very much for nothing and left. Tony
My cellphone has come in very handy for what i got it for - emergency comms. Main land phone down, or a breakdown on the highway - I can call someone. I keep accruing minutes though - I hardly use the gadget! But on this 'pay as you go' plan, I still have to buy minutes every so often to keep the account up. Cheaper than a regular service though. If they require a passport some day......? Have to think about that one - it ain't like we aren't already 'registered' out the wazoo to begin with. Heck, tie it to our DL, like everything else. If a Tango can get a DL, he can get a passport.
We keep one around as you guys do for emergencies and road trips... we talked about getting new passports this year(09) just for crossing the border north, on the bike...( and Alaska is still on my bucket list, guess I'll see if internet rambling put me on anybody's list... "If a Tango can get a DL, he can get a passport." And just what exactly is that supposed to imply???
"tango: "a terr" I get it...Actually "tango 3 comes from my active duty days radio call sign: "Technical services" #3.T1 was our officer( af captain) I eventually became "T2"( Tech support "superintedant position" in ge. before retiring)
I read too many Richard Marcinko novels (Red Cell, etc.). That and being an ex-squid myself tends to color my language still.
Lol we liked to refer to the Navy personnel we served with in Germany as 'swimmies'. They pretty much hated us! Coming up middle of next month I think I am canceling my Verizon phone and going with one of the pay as you go cells. I'm paying about $76/month to have a cell that I use for less than an hour most months! It's such a crock that you have to keep adding new prepaid minutes to them but I guess it's still cheaper than maintaining a standard plan on a regular cell. I may try to go completely without awhile to see how it goes. Hate the idea of not having one avail during an emergency though. Byte
Since my home 'puter is on dial-up, which locks out my landline phone, it's nice to be able to call a buddy (he E-mails me to tell me to call him....) without having to logoff. Also, during Hurricane Ike's little romp through our AO, his landline was down, and I could call his cell to update him of the local TV weather reports - his power was out too - couldn't get TV news. I avoided cell phones like the plague at one time - but they do come in useful at times. But I just can't justify the cost of the big services. I don't need a camera/Internut hookup/video game machine masquerading as a 'phone'. I don't use a tenth of what my little el-cheapo unit does now!
