Blackberries and smartphones are everywhere, prompting people to question their use in meetings, dinner dates, and church services. Different modes of communication have us choosing among whom to respond to: the phone ringing, the IM pinging you, the spouse chatting in your ear. Without sounding like a prude, I'd like to offer some general guidelines on how not to offend. Granted, there is a class of people who have to be available at all times for emergencies; but I think many people take their digital contact further than they have to. Here are some general rules:

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