Put that down ... for just a few minutes

With the rise of hand-held communications devices such as BlackBerrys and other PDAs, one thing has become clear to me: We need a lesson in basic meeting etiquette. At the movies, they tell us to silence our cell phones. When phones ring at meetings, the courteous walk outside to answer them.

With the BlackBerry, what is acceptable during a class or meeting is somewhat murky. Since the device is silent, owners seem to believe they are not disrupting the flow of discussion by checking their e-mail. Here's a thought: It's rude. Unfortunately, respect for other people's time is unfashionable in an age when we want to know instantly what's going on at the office or why the plumber hasn't shown up to fix the toilet.

As the BlackBerry further penetrates American culture -- if you don't think it will, remember how many college students had cell phones just 10 years ago -- a lesson in common decency would benefit everyone.