I was at a seminar on communicating on Friday, and at the beginning, the speaker asked that all cell phones be put on vibrate, as speakers normally do. 

About an hour later, what happened?  A cell phone starts to ring.  Of course, it was in the woman’s purse that was under her jacket on the back of her chair.

Question: what the hell is wrong with you people?  Someone specifically asks that you perform this very simple task of putting a cell phone on vibrate and you don’t even have the common decency – the common sense – to do it? 

The process of putting a cell phone on "silent" or "vibrate" isn’t usually tough – hold a button down, flip a switch…  and it takes about a second to do it.

As someone who has given presentations to various groups of people before, a cell phone can prove particularly distracting when you’re trying to make a point.  It is rude enough to have it happen period, but to have it happen after someone ASKS you to put it on vibrate is just inexcusable.  If I was a conductor of a symphony and a cell phone went off in the middle of a performance, I think I would chuck my baton in the person’s eye and stab it forcefully.

People who don’t put their cell phones on vibrate when they have been reminded to do so should be punished.  I propose that after two offenses (since people can make mistakes, and I’ve thought I had my phone on vibrate, but didn’t), they should be locked in a room with a 1,000 ringing cell phones all playing "The Mexican Hat Dance" all slightly off from each other. 

If, for some godforsaken reason, you don’t know HOW to turn your phone to silent/vibrate mode, please learn how.  There’s probably this little book called a "manual" or "owner’s guide" that came with your phone.  Look it up.  Google it.  Or take it to the retail outlet of your cell phone provider and ask them to show you how to do it.  PLEASE, for the sake of common decency, PLEASE do it.