can you hear me now?

Money talks and it seems that's all the government fat cats can hear. The only good news is there should be a lot less wires someday.

Who can we write to?

When the government becomes involved in anything it has a tendency to turn everything it touches into crap. I can understand one cell phone tower in a National Park but 5 is ridiculous and 6 is obscene! Unless I'm hopelessly lost I won't even use my cell phone while vacationing.

Considering Yellowstone is roughly 2/3rds the size of the state of CT 5 or 6 cell towers only provides coverage for about 1/30th of the park.



And what happens when you are hopelessly lost in a National park? But that only happens a few thousand times a year right?

You might recall that there were 2 climbers stuck up on a mountian out west just a few weeks ago when one of them fell and was injured just as a snow storm moved in. The only reason the one man survived was because he was able to use his cell phone to call for help.

When it's your life on the line it isn't quite as obscene is it?

You're way too sympathetic for a conservative-type, fishin.

I'm more of a fan of survival of the fittest with this kind of thing.

Screw them. If they get lost, let 'em figure their way out of it on their own. They wanted to be away from it all, didn't they?

Re: can you hear me now?


How scenic!

What's wrong with cell phone towers?

I think some people simply have a constitutional objection to technology and rail at it. A couple of cell phone towers ain't gonna hurt the park. I can't wait till my less technology-fearful generation is the oldest generation around, good times will be here and....

Bah, we'll probably be all up in arms about the new fax butt implants or somesuch.

"Bah, we'll probably be all up in arms about the new fax butt implants or somesuch."
Disturbing visual.

Yup, even for my generation.

Sure, the more towers the merrier. Progress marches on! But don't assume it's always old people who stand in the way of progress. My mother, when she used to visit Seattle, would ask why we hadn't torn down the buildings in the old part of town. Who needs historic districts?

Frankly, every time I see that "Can you hear me now?" ad, I want say, "Yes, goddamit. Now shut the @#*$ up!"

I think I'm with kicky and Beth on this one. If you just can't stand the wilderness, just stay home. Or don't leave the gift shop unattended.

Mixed feelings, veering towards ehBeth/kicky view.

I think this gets complicated. In a park situation where there are expectations of public forays with concommitant parking lots, wildoats grocers, lurking large lodges, yes... for some extent tel access. But I have a personal feeling there is some cutoff point, where nature just can be itself.

But then it can't... all sorts of interventions happen upstream or down or from the sky. Even from an eco person's viewpoint, we tag animals, and so on, plus, boundaries cross.


Mulling..

I'm all mixed up like Osso.

I'm sure someone in the park system had something to say on all sides of it and issues regarding these were discussed.
So, for the number of towers and the area they're in...I'm sure its not all that bad and I'm guessing they will be making a bit of money on these and from that...well, hopefully that money goes back into the park system for wonderful things...you know..like litter cleanup and such.

One question..are these those fake looking tree towers...cuz those really rub me the wrong way for some reason. It's odd relly but, I feel like they should just be what they are and they are done so badly it's comical.

Motorola had a system called Iridium (sp?) that consisted of a serries of communication satellites that provided world wide coverage for a cell phone 24/7. Your phone number worked anywhere from the corner deli to the top of Mount Everest. It failed, partly due to poor management, but also because of competition from cheaper, but not better, phone towers.