Here’s a little poll: How many of you, upon witnessing something slightly out of the ordinary, routinely whip out your phone and begin shooting video of it?
I see that all the time. Usually it happens like this: Some poor sap will be having a bad day, and will get in the face of someone at the ticket counter, or the checkout line or the DMV. The last time I witnessed something like this, it was a guy in Miami who had been waiting for his flight to board for 12 hours, and finally lost it and had to be dragged away by security. At the first sound of his raised voice, cell phones filled the air like it was a Metallica concert. It was a sight to behold: Not the guy being hustled off, but the several dozen idiots racing to get it online before anyone else. Maybe I should have gotten some footage.

Smart phones. The people, not so much.
Count the cell phones. This prosaic event is better-documented than a presidential press conference. So it is with nearly every small drama in America. It all goes online, so saps like me can browse by and feel somehow superior. If you’re having a particularly bad day, maybe it’s a consolation to know that somebody else will find it entertaining.
Is this a good thing? I don’t know. It does seem a disappointing use for miraculous technology. And it kind of redefines the meaning of a bad day, when the bad day can no longer be forgotten.
I’ll have to make sure that my next public meltdown is video-worthy. If you can’t be good, be spectacular!
Got that right. Give us something we can use.
Ha, ha, ha! This was spot on awesome! When you write about the political stuff I get nervous and my eyes glaze over. Quite an odd combination now that I think about it. Anyway, then you whip out a blog like this one and I am back on the Dave train again. I am going to give your blog address to one of my gal pals. She likes the political stuff.
Something for everyone at the Warehouse!
This gives a third option for those moments of existential dilemma, e.g.
1. Jump in and try to save the drowning person.
2. Stand and do nothing.
3. Capture the drowning on video.
Well put!