# follow-up question on telegrams

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/follow-up-question-on-telegrams/95882>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [November 29, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/follow-up-question-on-telegrams/95882 "2001-11-29T06:14:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Distopos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Distopos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Distopos)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/follow-up-question-on-telegrams/95882/1 "2001-11-29T06:14:19Z")

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Regarding John R’s question about sending telegrams: [Is it still possible to send a telegram?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtelegram.html)

Does Western Union use telegraph wires to transmit the message between offices? Wouldn’t that be a kick? Since they (surely) don’t, then why is it still called a telegram? The root words still apply, I guess - and it’s still delivered on a yellow slip, I suppose. (It occurs to me that the appellation “post-it” might be more appropriate if it weren’t already taken…)

By the way, for interesting reading I recommend _The Victorian Internet_ by Tom Standage. He chronicles the striking parallels between telegraphy and the internet in their conception, wild claims and predictions, equally wild reactions and fears, handles and chat-rooms, the condition of being “on line”, etc, etc, etc. Very good stuff for gaining perspective - especially if one has read a few to many WIRED editorials.

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I’ve edited to fix the link – Dex

[Edited by C K Dexter Haven on 11-29-2001 at 03:38 PM]