Brevity by Dan Thompson for October 10, 2011

“If it’s out there, it’s in here” :D

We get big ones,little ones,white ones and yellow ones. we don’t use them.

I get 2 or 3 every year, and never use any of them. We could save a lot of trees by just having 1 company distribute them instead of 2 or 3. Now I have to wait for them to set up the truck for recycling them to bring all these unused phone books in.

I tossed mine out just yesterday.

Just got a new one left by my door a couple days ago. The previous one is still sitting on the front step in its plastic wrapper.

I always keep one, but also it’s not always the newest! At least the recyle bin takes them. I would opt out of them but I don’t want to have one that is many years old. They are good to have around just in case I can’t find something on the internet or phone given there is inactive.

Sir Tim, that guy’s your neighbor. See what he’s looking for?

I use mine to hold the carpet up to dry when I spill my tea. Keeps the laminate floor from warping.

Does anyone use a phone book these days?

I always think I “need” a phone book around, but if you ask me where mine is…… hmm….. well, I know there’s one under a sagging chair…. but I think that’s the 2008 one maybe…..

It used to be, in the US, anyway, that only “The” Phone Company was privy to the data it takes to print THE phonebook.

But forcing of competition in the 1980s led to both info and copper wiring having to be shared, sold, or rented to competitors.

Other companies jumped into producing their own directories for the ad revenue.

They make them small and convenient or add e-mail addresses, or useless coupon pages, in the hopes of making them popular enough to attract commercial listings.

I think soon those extra books will wither away, as the profits disappear — but ATT will probably still have to print one.