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In this fast moving communication age, James Kim's death is by now stale news but the sadness and pain still ring fresh in my mind. As the father of two, I can't but imagine the panic that must have set in and the paternal instincts that must have been ignited in Mr. Kim to save his wife and two kids.

This is a tragedy that still bewilders many. Those not familiar with the size of a country like the United States must wonder how someone could walk for over eight hours (as reported) and not come into contact with someone? How can someone be lost for almost two weeks with the amount of technology available to us and with Web 2.0 the second coming of the net in full swing? There are many questions, some are easy to answer and some we will debate forever

As I reflect, it seems that in all the grief a real positive has come out of this in the increased awareness of how a simple "ping" could save your life. The Cell Phone has its fair share of cons. It's thought to cause brain cancer which thankfully, studies have now shown to be unsubstantiated. It has played a major role in accidents. Just this week a seven year old boy was killed and his mother and sisters severely injured by an SUV in Orange County, Los Angeles. The driver was apparently reaching for his Cell Phone and lost control of the vehicle.

As a tracking device though, the utility of the Cell Phone is without question, thanks to the FCC who apparently since 2001 made it mandatory for all Cell Phones to be equipped with a chip that would allow it to be tracked by Global satellites. The positive that has come out of this family's unspeakable tragedy, is the fact that many Americans are now being made aware of this capability. Once the cell phone is charged and on it becomes an invaluable tracking devicebut a strong word of caution; it needs to be on.

Again, many people see the negative side of this tracking capability where the Cell Phone can be used by the authorities to silently track the movements of innocent Americans. Consider though for a moment, the utility in tracking terrorists, tracking criminals, solving murders and saving the lives of thousands of people lost, kidnapped and marooned each year. Consider the utility where kids are concerned? In such desperate situations a "ping" could mean the difference between hope and despair, between life and death. In life, there are many nuisances but losing a little of privacy in order to make the country or the community safer or saving the precious life of a loved one is not enough of a nuisance for me.

Learn more about this author, Adrian Keys.
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