Comments on: Giuliani’s Cell Phone Problem http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:45:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Berneice http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14497 Berneice Sun, 07 Oct 2007 03:38:10 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14497 what is the big deal with taking a cell phone call in a restaurant? The heightened annoyance may be related to the way the brain processes one-sided conversations. <i>Our brains, expecting information to arrive from both sides of a conversation, have an innate tendency to fill in the blanks.</i><a href="http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20050228-000001.html" rel="nofollow"> Psychology Today</a> It's probably similar to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail_party_effect" rel="nofollow">cocktail party effect.</a> (see wiki article) Similarly, drivers may be more apt to wreck their cars while talking on a cell phone than talking to someone seated in the passenger seat. The brain's language processing may be engaged slightly differently. (Or, so I've been lead to believe.) what is the big deal with taking a cell phone call in a restaurant?

The heightened annoyance may be related to the way the brain processes one-sided conversations. Our brains, expecting information to arrive from both sides of a conversation, have an innate tendency to fill in the blanks. Psychology Today It’s probably similar to the cocktail party effect. (see wiki article)

Similarly, drivers may be more apt to wreck their cars while talking on a cell phone than talking to someone seated in the passenger seat. The brain’s language processing may be engaged slightly differently. (Or, so I’ve been lead to believe.)

]]> By: Tennwriter http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14496 Tennwriter Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:02:19 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14496 You're going too far with this. There are things that justify interrupting a speech. Real Life as compared to a Job, y'know. I remember one lady who told me I needed to work more at my job, didn't need to spend so much time with my just-married wife. Funny thing is, she was on her third husband. I'm still years later on my first spouse, and I wonder if she's on her fourth. Would it be slicker to have an aide whisper in your ear....well, its considered to be so, but really, and truly? A quick cell-phone call is probably about as disruptive as a guy in a suit walking on to a stage and whispering. Its unconventional true, but conventions are meant to be molded to fit new realities. Dean Esmay is right. Last, why would she be controlling? Hmmmm....perhaps because he's been divorced multiple times, slept around, and proven himself a generally untrustworthy mate? He deserves controlling. He's earned it. You’re going too far with this.

There are things that justify interrupting a speech. Real Life as compared to a Job, y’know. I remember one lady who told me I needed to work more at my job, didn’t need to spend so much time with my just-married wife. Funny thing is, she was on her third husband. I’m still years later on my first spouse, and I wonder if she’s on her fourth.

Would it be slicker to have an aide whisper in your ear….well, its considered to be so, but really, and truly? A quick cell-phone call is probably about as disruptive as a guy in a suit walking on to a stage and whispering. Its unconventional true, but conventions are meant to be molded to fit new realities. Dean Esmay is right.

Last, why would she be controlling? Hmmmm….perhaps because he’s been divorced multiple times, slept around, and proven himself a generally untrustworthy mate? He deserves controlling. He’s earned it.

]]> By: NancyGee http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14495 NancyGee Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:49:02 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14495 I simply do not believe that ANYthing is urgent enough that it cannot wait 20-30 minutes until you can get to a phone. Not even death. When 9/11 happened, an aide whispered in Bush's ear and he finished what he was doing before he left to deal with the crisis. I have been a Giuliani supporter but if this report is true, and this is ongoing behavior, he's just lost my vote. It's inexcusible, lazy, and selfish on both his and her part. I simply do not believe that ANYthing is urgent enough that it cannot wait 20-30 minutes until you can get to a phone. Not even death. When 9/11 happened, an aide whispered in Bush’s ear and he finished what he was doing before he left to deal with the crisis.

I have been a Giuliani supporter but if this report is true, and this is ongoing behavior, he’s just lost my vote. It’s inexcusible, lazy, and selfish on both his and her part.

]]> By: Adrian_in_Phoenix http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14494 Adrian_in_Phoenix Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:03:46 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14494 I agree with Bernie & others that anyone making a speech at this level should hand the phone to an assistant if they can't turn it off. If he needs help speaking correctly, then he needs an ear-piece and/or a teleprompter. I have taken calls in meetings from my spouse, but my single syllable answer clued her in that I couldn't talk and she usually hung up - if it truly was urgent, then I excused myself and went out of the meeting to talk. These were internal business meetings with co-workers. I have never interrupted a meeting with clients (the cell phone is locked in my desk or car), and wouldn't dream of interrupting a meeting that was televised like this. Rudy knows better - now he needs to start acting like he would expect anyone on his staff to act. I agree with Bernie & others that anyone making a speech at this level should hand the phone to an assistant if they can’t turn it off.
If he needs help speaking correctly, then he needs an ear-piece and/or a teleprompter.
I have taken calls in meetings from my spouse, but my single syllable answer clued her in that I couldn’t talk and she usually hung up – if it truly was urgent, then I excused myself and went out of the meeting to talk. These were internal business meetings with co-workers. I have never interrupted a meeting with clients (the cell phone is locked in my desk or car), and wouldn’t dream of interrupting a meeting that was televised like this.
Rudy knows better – now he needs to start acting like he would expect anyone on his staff to act.

]]> By: Peg C. http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14493 Peg C. Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:53:14 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14493 No one when making a speech should ever have a cellphone on them that can ring. Period. The fact that he answers is bad enough. The fact that she calls him while he's speechifying is really bad. She sounds like a mentally unstable person grossly unfit to be First Lady. This makes it sound like the rocks in her head fit the holes in his. Not good - he's my fallback plan in case Fred doesn't do it. No one when making a speech should ever have a cellphone on them that can ring. Period.

The fact that he answers is bad enough. The fact that she calls him while he’s speechifying is really bad. She sounds like a mentally unstable person grossly unfit to be First Lady.

This makes it sound like the rocks in her head fit the holes in his. Not good – he’s my fallback plan in case Fred doesn’t do it.

]]> By: Former "Short-Leash"ee http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14492 Former "Short-Leash"ee Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:21:34 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14492 If it truly is his wife calling, shame on her. A woman who really wants her husband to succeed would NEVER call and interrupt a speech (*of course* she knows he's giving a speech, unless she is so self-centered that she doesn't know his schedule when he's freakin' *running for President*). There are two exceptions: She has just had a heart attack and is calling from the ambulance, or one of the children has just died. Even then, she would call one of his staff, who would then walk on stage and speak into his ear to tell him of the urgent call. I used to be on a short leash. I cut it, after six years. It was humiliating to attempt to be taken seriously in business, only to come to my desk to find a rude note from my ex with a 6" high, mean-looking "frowny face" in black Sharpie marker placed prominently in the middle of my desk. It was worse to be holding a meeting, and have it run a bit long, and have the ex standing outside the meeting room but in my line of sight, glaring and mouthing rude comments at me, and try to hold it together and finish the meeting properly. People begin to figure out that you have a tough situation, and try to help without directly acknowledging what is going on, but it's still humiliating. If she is the one calling him, someone should take away his phone, take away her phone, or handcuff her to a pipe until the speech is over. I want Giuliani to be President, if he's the one nominated. If this is a real problem, it worries me. If it truly is his wife calling, shame on her. A woman who really wants her husband to succeed would NEVER call and interrupt a speech (*of course* she knows he’s giving a speech, unless she is so self-centered that she doesn’t know his schedule when he’s freakin’ *running for President*). There are two exceptions: She has just had a heart attack and is calling from the ambulance, or one of the children has just died. Even then, she would call one of his staff, who would then walk on stage and speak into his ear to tell him of the urgent call.

I used to be on a short leash. I cut it, after six years. It was humiliating to attempt to be taken seriously in business, only to come to my desk to find a rude note from my ex with a 6″ high, mean-looking “frowny face” in black Sharpie marker placed prominently in the middle of my desk. It was worse to be holding a meeting, and have it run a bit long, and have the ex standing outside the meeting room but in my line of sight, glaring and mouthing rude comments at me, and try to hold it together and finish the meeting properly. People begin to figure out that you have a tough situation, and try to help without directly acknowledging what is going on, but it’s still humiliating.

If she is the one calling him, someone should take away his phone, take away her phone, or handcuff her to a pipe until the speech is over. I want Giuliani to be President, if he’s the one nominated. If this is a real problem, it worries me.

]]> By: Julie http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14491 Julie Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:47:27 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14491 It sounds like there are two plausible scenarios here. If it really is what it seems, and his wife keeps calling him at <i>extremely</i> bad times, it shows that they <i>both</i> have very poor judgment and is absolutely cause for concern. As president, would he be taking calls from the wife during important meetings with world leaders? How much influence would she have over his decision making? And what does that say about his spinal fortitude? If, on the other hand, this is a method of damage control whereby his staff keep calling him to stop him from saying something potentially damaging, it is <i>still</i> in poor taste. It makes him look bad as per the first scenario above, it makes his staff look foolish (there have to be better ways to alert him, I would hope; a discrete earpiece would be less damaging, in my eyes, than blatantly taking a phone call), and it leads one to wonder just how strong his leadership abilities really are. Either way, it reflects very poorly on his ability to lead this country. It sounds like there are two plausible scenarios here. If it really is what it seems, and his wife keeps calling him at extremely bad times, it shows that they both have very poor judgment and is absolutely cause for concern. As president, would he be taking calls from the wife during important meetings with world leaders? How much influence would she have over his decision making? And what does that say about his spinal fortitude?

If, on the other hand, this is a method of damage control whereby his staff keep calling him to stop him from saying something potentially damaging, it is still in poor taste. It makes him look bad as per the first scenario above, it makes his staff look foolish (there have to be better ways to alert him, I would hope; a discrete earpiece would be less damaging, in my eyes, than blatantly taking a phone call), and it leads one to wonder just how strong his leadership abilities really are.

Either way, it reflects very poorly on his ability to lead this country.

]]> By: lori http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14490 lori Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:36:49 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14490 What I want to know is, if Rudy's wife is so controlling, doesn't she KNOW where he is/what he is doing at that time? What is she telling him - I'm watching you on the monitor, and you have a piece of lettuce in your teeth? I question her wisdom at placing the phone calls. It's dumb. People in his audiences should go about answering their own phone calls while he speechifies and it will quickly fix his problem. What I want to know is, if Rudy’s wife is so controlling, doesn’t she KNOW where he is/what he is doing at that time? What is she telling him – I’m watching you on the monitor, and you have a piece of lettuce in your teeth? I question her wisdom at placing the phone calls.

It’s dumb. People in his audiences should go about answering their own phone calls while he speechifies and it will quickly fix his problem.

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14489 Dean Esmay Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:34:20 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14489 I agree with all of this save one thing: what is the big deal with taking a cell phone call in a restaurant? What's the difference between talking to someone sitting at my table with me--which happens all the time in most restaurants--and talking on the phone? None that I can see, unless you're one of those idiots who yells loudly into your phone for no good reason. I agree with all of this save one thing: what is the big deal with taking a cell phone call in a restaurant? What’s the difference between talking to someone sitting at my table with me–which happens all the time in most restaurants–and talking on the phone? None that I can see, unless you’re one of those idiots who yells loudly into your phone for no good reason.

]]> By: Jim http://pjmedia.com/blog/of_cellphones_and_backbones/#comment-14488 Jim Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:33:40 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/giulianis-cell-phone-problem/#comment-14488 The assumption here seesm to be that these calls are in fact from his wife. Not only is that open to question, it seems a little unlikely. What are the odds that she just happens to call in the middle of his speeches on a fairly regular basis? Keep an eye on his aides the next time it happens. The assumption here seesm to be that these calls are in fact from his wife. Not only is that open to question, it seems a little unlikely. What are the odds that she just happens to call in the middle of his speeches on a fairly regular basis? Keep an eye on his aides the next time it happens.

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