Now that yakking on our cell phones has replaced smoking as our number one oral fixation, it looks ever more probable both habits might have the same health outcome. The impact on public spaces is certainly as noxious.  And while cell phone manufacturers and service providers point to lack of definitive proof of cancer links, so did the cigarette manufacturers of yore. 

Now the head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute is telling faculty and staff to limit cell phone time because of possible risk of cancer.  This, after a recent viral ad campaign by a bluetooth headset manufacturer tapped into the idle fears of cell phone users everywhere that their cell phones were microwaving their brains.  But, on the up-side, they could also use them to pop popcorn in a pinch (always handy down the pub). 

All great news for transhumans everywhere.  Bluetooth technology is obviously the wave of the present.  And the not-so-distant future will bring implants!  People wandering around shouting to themselves and gesticulating wildly as they stare into the middle distance of their own virtual reality. 

Remember the old "I can't hear you, I've got a banana in my ear" trick?  Well, in the future looks like everyone will have a banana in his ear.  You'll be standing right in front of them and have to phone them to tell them to stfu.  But at least there's no second-hand smoke or stray microwaves to worry about (and it keeps the alligators away).