I swere, da cellfones 8 mi graymer. lllloooovveee u!

I don't actually have a cell phone. I bought one once. In 1998. It was the size of my arm. Seriously. I haven't bought one since. People today are so obsessed with 'being in touch' that they have sacrificed their humanity.

Teenagers lack ACTUAL social skills (talking to their peers, adults, and family members verbally). The GRAMMATICAL skill set is long gone. lol i wsh ud bin der. Ug. In short, if these teenagers had grown up any other time in history, they'd be considered "retarded" (yes, I hate that term as well- but that was the term used until the 90's). So what?

You're absolutely right. So what. It's not just teenagers. I know ADULTS who do it. Grown ass people. People who went to school, learned to read and write. Can spell. But they don't. It's the computer generation. i loooovvvveesssss uuuu!!! Seriously, I am bringing back the term 'retard', but I only apply it to texters. Actually, I'm going to go one further and make up "are-tard" (that's capital R). Extra letters to text.

The problem I have with cell phones is not just the inherent stupidity of someone wanting to be 'reachable and connected' 24/7. I mean, I like my privacy and my solitude. I WISH more of my friends shared LESS of their thoughts/ actions.

The rest of the problem is the fact so many people, who are otherwise good , ethical people, buy products with absolutely zero concern for the production standards that major manufacturing companies (and the umbrella corporations) use.

Here's an example I was given by my mother (one of the most ethical people I've ever known, buying only ethical mutual funds- even though the return may not be as high as the mutual funds which deal with arms manufacturing).

So, before you run out and buy your next iPad, iPhone, Blackberry (which is just as bad)- look into the manufacturing process and decide if THAT world is one you want your children to be a part of.


According to the New York Times, workers at a factory in Shenzhen, China, owned by Foxconn (a company that manufactures iPhones, iPads and other devices for Apple) regularly work sixteen-hour, seven-day work weeks.

They stand until their legs swell and they can’t walk, and they perform repetitive motions on the production line for so long that some permanently lose the use of their hands. To cut costs, managers make workers use cheap chemicals that cause neurological damage. There has been a rash of suicides at the Foxconn plant, and 300 workers recently threatened to jump off the roof over a safety and pay dispute.

In short, as one former Apple executive told the New York Times, "Most people would be really disturbed if they saw where their iPhone comes from."

Mark Shields, a self-described member of the "cult of Mac," started a petition on Change.org demanding Apple exert its influence on its suppliers to improve working conditions for the factory workers that make iPhones, iPads and other Apple products.

Click here to sign Mark’s petition right now: http://www.change.org/petitions/apple-ceo-tim-cook-protect-workers-making-iphones-in-chinese-factories?utm_medium=email&utm_source=action_alert

Apple knows it can play an important role in ensuring safe and fair working conditions for the workers at its suppliers, like Foxconn. In 2005, the company released a supplier code of conduct, and it performs hundreds of audits each year in China and around the world to confirm its suppliers are meeting the code’s expectations.

But that’s where Apple’s commitment falters: the number of supplier violations has held steady year to year and Apple hasn’t consistently publicly stated which suppliers have problems or dropped offending suppliers.

The bottom line, Apple executives admit, is that they’re not being forced to change.

One current executive told the New York Times that there’s a trade-off: "You can either manufacture in comfortable, worker-friendly factories," he said, or you can "make it better and faster and cheaper, which requires factories that seem harsh by American standards.And right now, customers care more about a new iPhone than working conditions in China."

That means public pressure is the only thing that can force Apple to ensure its suppliers treat workers humanely. If enough people sign Mark’s petition -- and tell Apple they care more about human beings than they do about how fast the company can produce the next generation iPhone -- the company could be convinced to make real change for the workers at Foxconn and other factories.