I just read with horror a report that European authorities are moving to allow cell phone use on airplanes.

Can the U.S. be far behind?

While it would be nice once in a while to make a call from a plane, to let my family know I am late, or to confirm something with the office, that convenience is far outweighed by the necessity of listening to obnoxious and loud conversations for five hours.

On a recent flight, before the doors closed, I overheard a grandmother talking to her grandchild in alta voice: “No dear, Grandpa won’t be coming along, he is still in rehab.”

Then there was the young guy talking to his buddy – also full throttle: “You know how she is, she just kept coming on to me, asking why I wouldn’t let her…” you can fill in the rest.

The hassles of air travel are at least offset by the fact that, once airborne, there may be on food, no room, and little comfort, but at least it is peaceful. I never watch the movie. I work, read or sleep. But not with someone blaring on the phone from the next row.

And what are we to do? Can we turn and ask the person to keep it down? “I gotta right to talk on the phone, screw off!” is likely to be the answer.

Please FAA, let them text their little fingers to the bone, but keep the phones off!!!

The March 6 edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy featured a series of articles about the upcoming generational shift in nonprofit leadership. I have been keenly interested in this topic for several years so I read it the articles closely.

One aspect of the shift was the issue of whether old timers (that would be my generation) are holding back younger leaders due to a concern that the less experienced 20- and 30-somethings are really too inexperienced to lead.

I read comments from both sides of the generation gap, then recalled my own experience.

 I first became an executive director at the tender age of 26. I had very little experience, having passed through several jobs in the past year due to Prop 13-caused budget cuts, no mentoring, and few relevant skills (two years earlier I had been in grad school studying literature). Still, no one questioned whether I could lead.

It occurred to me that perhaps this was because I am a boomer, and virtually all of the nonprofits in my community were being led by relatively young people. It was just assumed I would figure it out.

Now that we boomers are starting to retire, could it be that we still assume that only our generation knows how to lead?