Friday, June 5, 2015

The Ups and Downs of Technology

Thought for the day: The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people. [Karl Marx]

[icanhascheezburger.com]
I may be a bit of a fuddy-duddy, but I'm not the kind of fuddy-duddy who rips at my clothing and smears ashes on my face over the horrors of new technology. Quite the contrary. While I do admittedly hang onto some of my old ways out of a determination not to cede any of my hard-earned abilities to some new-fangled gadget,  (like a calculator... HA!) I'm also excited by amazing technological advances.

I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind!  [author unknown]

Tell ya what, let's kick some technology around, just for fun. Along with some of the newer stuff, I'm gonna include a handful of excerpts from past posts, as well. First, we'll start with something that first appeared in a July, 2011, post. I believe I referred to the technology back then as... electric boobs.



For Dolly Parton's iKini, perhaps?
***   New York designer Andrew Schneider created quite a buzz when he came up with a way for women to charge their gadgets with... their boobs. Sorta. Called the iKini, his design, currently available from Solar Coterie for about two hundred dollars, is a bikini covered in photovoltaic strips, (i.e. solar panels) terminated in a USB connector capable of providing 5 volts. And yes, it IS possible to swim in it, ladies, provided you remember to unplug your gadgets first. And oh yeah, better not try to reconnect until you're completely dry. Men, never fear. Another  version is in the works just for you. The solar shorts, to be dubbed iDrink, will feature a higher voltage output capable of  powering a peltier junction, which will connect to a custom coozy, so you can keep your beer cold while charging your iPod. (Too bad Mr. Schneider didn't figure out how to harness methane in his design, too. Some men could power a small TV ...)

And then, in February of 2012, I mentioned another innovation:

***  These guys from the Netherlands may be brilliant computer gurus, but their sense of fashion leaves something to be desired. Erik de Nijs and Tim Smit recently unveiled their new creation, which they've dubbed  Beauty and the Geek. It's a pair of jeans ... with a built-in full-size Bluetooth enabled keyboard. (Talk about a laptop!) Integrated speakers and a wireless mouse are included with the pants, and the invention works with a USB device and wireless connection. The idea is to allow users to walk around, but still be in control of their computer. Okay. Um, what I'd like to know is ... how do you wash these things?

But NOW??? Holy moley, wearable technology has grown by leaps and bounds.

[wikimedia commons]

[wikipedia]

***  NOW... we have eyeglasses for hooking up to the Internet, and  smart watches that can do just about everything but cook dinner. Then again, I'll betcha those smarty-pants watches can make reservations at your favorite restaurant, or make a list of things to buy at the grocery store... and even tell ya where the stuff you need is on sale for the best price. (Not sure if they can actually tell you what time it is.... but heck! your smart phone can to that, right?) NOW there's all kinds of smart clothing that can monitor body functions and movements. The science of wearable technology may be in its infancy, but it's growing bigger every day. The smaller and more powerful processors become, the easier it is to incorporate their capabilities into something that's not only portable... but wearable. Last month, Georgia Tech held a two-day symposium to highlight some of the wearable tech work that's being done by students and faculty there. Things like the haptic gloves, designed by PhD student James Hallam, which enable stroke victims to more quickly recover the use of a weakened hand, essentially teaching it by by utilizing feedback from their strong hand. Things like the Smart Ballet Shoes and Ballet Hero, both designed by Emily Keen as a valuable tool to teach the fine art of ballet dancing. In addition to the many projects and prototypes demonstrated at the symposium, industry representatives were in attendance, too, to see how they might capitalize on some of these innovative ideas. [If you're curious about how some of this kinda stuff has already been implemented, check this page, created by Canadian Tom Emirch. Thanks to his efforts, Canada is one of the leaders in wearable technology.]

Gee, do you think technological advances might improve the workplace? Not so much, according to this piece from a post I did in February of 2012...

[morguefile]
***  I've heard of efforts to eliminate waste in the workplace before, but this is downright ridiculous. Picture this: flashing lights, a blaring alarm, and the loud admonition, "Time's up, you slacker! Get yer can off that can!" Okay, so that isn't exactly what's happening, but employees at a call center in Norway are being monitored by a high-tech surveillance system that triggers an alarm if they spend more than eight minutes of the workday in the bathroom. That's right. Evidently, flashing lights alert supervisors to the time-wasting  loo loiterers, but needless to say, the employees' union is protesting the crappy policy, and have high hopes this new intrusion into poo-break privacy will go the way of other failed means to control their potty habits. Last year, one Norwegian firm actually made female employees wear a red bracelet during their "time of the month" to justify more frequent trips to the bathroom. (Think they considered brown bracelets for employees with the runs, or green ones for tummy upsets and pregnancies?) Another company made employees sign a lavatory visitor's book, and still another issued electronic bathroom key cards. And here, I always considered Norway to be a bastion of freedom and individual rights. Turns out some of their companies have forgotten about man's inalienable right to sit on the throne. Hmmmph! I'm betting their bathrooms don't even have magazine racks.

[wikimedia commons]

*** I guess you've all heard about the 65-year-old German woman who recently gave birth to quadruplets. In case you aren't familiar with the story, the soon-to-be-retired teacher already has thirteen children, ranging in age from 9 to 44, but it seems her nine-year-old daughter wanted a younger sibling. So, uh... why not? I guess she figured, since technology could make it possible for someone her age to get pregnant, she might as well go for it. And go for it she did... all the way to the Ukraine, where donated eggs were fertilized and implanted into her post-menopausal body. Multiple times. (If at first you don't succeed... ?)  The tiny premature quads were recently delivered by C-section, and last I heard, are in critical condition. So what do you think? German doctors had advised her against it, saying it was much too dangerous for both her and any potential baby. Was it selfish for her to proceed? Was it an ethical choice? Or was it a matter of her body, her decision, so it's none of our business? (What I really want to know is how much money does Germany pay its teachers??? Holy moley...)

NASA photo by John Hop [wikipedia]
***  The spacecraft Messenger was the first to orbit another planet... Mercury... and this photo was taken in 2011 on its first fly-by of that planet. Over the past four years, it has circled Mercury more than 4000 times, and took more than 277,000 photos of it. (Geez, that's even more than we took of our first son...) Last month, as planned, it ended its mission with a crash landing.

As planned. Isn't it amazing that scientists can direct, monitor, communicate... and even land, whether soft or crash... space probes from such incredible distances, and with such phenomenal accuracy? Boggles the mind. (Too bad our newspaper delivery person can't do as well.)



[wikipedia commons]


***  Isn't that a cool-looking model of DNA? The advances made since its discovery are also nothing short of mind-boggling. Like the stuff of science fiction... and not just for the purposes of answering those annoying talk show hosts' question: Who's your baby's daddy? Yeah, DNA testing can determine paternity, but it can also ascertain the presence or likelihood of developing a particular disease, and all kinds of other amazing state-of-the-art things.

Then again, it can also be used for more, uh, mundane things, as described in this old clip from a July, 2011, post...

[morguefile]


***  It's terribly annoying when a neighbor repeatedly allows his pooch to use your yard as as its own personal potty, isn't it? It's annoying to a New Hampshire apartment complex owner, too. The plentiful piles of poo were ruining the aesthetics of her lovely complex, doggone it, so she decided to do something about it. Residents have until today to submit pet (ahem) samples, so she can use them to set up a doggie DNA file. That's right. From now on, when an unpleasant mound of manure is found, she's gonna test the dog doo DNA to reveal the inconsiderate culprit. She doesn't yet know what she's gonna do once the doo is identified. Perhaps a fine, she says. (How about lighting a paper bag of "evidence" outside the offender's door?)

A recent article in the newspaper reminded me of that earlier post, because DNA-testing dog poop seems to be a more popular pastime than ever. According to the article, twenty-six apartment and condo complexes in the Seattle area alone have recently obtained DNA test kits from a company in Tennessee called BioPet Vet Lab. And guess what? A quick Google search revealed there are plenty more companies offering this same service. Who'd a thunk it? While some people fume over the stinking heaps of poo dumped in their yards, others are raking in heaps of money because of it. What a country.

photo from US Navy [wikipedia]
*** A couple years ago, I did a post about Military Working Dogs. It's amazing what they can do. They're even trained to jump out of airplanes! (YES... more than once...) Now let's talk about dolphins and sea lions. Did you know they're trained by the Navy to do stuff like detect land mines? Yes, we already have advanced sonar and listening technology, but dolphins and sea lions, with their keen eyesight and biological sonar, have proven to be experts at detecting mines, swimmers, and mini-submarines, so they can be invaluable in thwarting possible terrorist attacks. Currently, the Navy has 90 dolphins and 50 sea lions, which are being trained in San Diego. Many of these critters have already made multiple deployments to trouble spots in the world. Today, they work alongside Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, and some day, the UUVs may be advanced enough to do the job on their own, but for now? Their innate abilities, coupled with extensive training, make dolphins and sea lions an integral part of national defense. Sometimes, technology can be trumped by good old-fashioned biology.

[morguefile]
*** Okay, technically, this last piece doesn't have anything to do with technology at all; I just thought it was... funny.

Ready? Chinese officials are launching a campaign to crack down on strip shows... at, um...  funerals...

Yeah, at funerals. Seems like an odd combination to me, too.

But not to the Chinese, especially to those who live in rural areas. See, to their way of thinking, having a good crowd at a funeral is a way of honoring the deceased, and what better way to bring in a crowd than to provide entertainment? At one time, operas were performed at funerals, and later on, movies were shown. Offering erotic strip teases and lewd shows is the more popular method to attract a crowd these days, though. Some fad. Somehow, I don't think I'd feel all that honored if a bunch of strange men were drooling over some hot chick at my funeral... but that could just be me. After all, I am a bit of a fuddy-duddy.

                                          Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

In the Bowling Alley of Tomorrow, there will even be machines that wear rental shoes and throw the ball for you. Your sole function will be to drink beer.  [Dave Barry]


67 comments:

  1. Sigh. I am fascinated and appalled by our technological advances.
    And some things I really, really don't want to hand over to anything which needs electricity.

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  2. Fascinating stuff!!

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    1. Someone once said we are stuck with technology when all we want is something that works!!

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  3. I don't care to wear technology, but I suppose it's the wave of the future and I might change my mind--I used to say no to ebooks, but now that's pretty much all I read. Lots of interesting info here.

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    1. Me, too. Once upon a time, I said I'd NEVER read an e-book, but now, I absolutely love my Kindle.

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  4. Although not exactly a fuddy-duddy, I am admittedly allergic to technology and fifty years behind the times. Heck, I'm still trying to figure out the Dewey Decimal System and how to set up my VCR.

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    1. HA! You're not a fuddy-duddy at all. And it's a good idea to have a certain amount of allergy... or skepticism... of new technology. I'd rather wait until the bugs are worked out before I jump into anything new. As soon as the decimal point issue is worked out, I think slide rules will be safe to use any day now...

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  5. I love technology... it brought me closer to people throughout the world... I do think we have taken it too far in many instances... it looks like we are trying to get computers to do everything for us, we do need to have an imagination (I feel like that is getting lost)..

    I'm embarrassed to read Canada is a moung the top leaders on wearable technolgy... have we nothing better to do? I have to say how much I enjoy reading your thoughts Susan... hopefully they don't find a computer to write our posts, I rather enjoy human thoughts xox ♡

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    1. Ah, the computer. Worthy of a whole post of its own. "A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing." {Emo Philips]

      Wearable technology is an exciting field, and has the potential to change life for the better for sooooo many people suffering from various diseases. Better real-time monitoring of their conditions, for one thing. The ability to move parts of their bodies that they weren't able to move before... the being able to stand on their own two feet. So be proud of Canada. It's a good thing.

      Hey, don't worry. No computer can do my writing for me.... no computer is that weird. Yet.

      Happy weekend!

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  6. As far as I'm concerned, a nine year old wanting a younger sibling is NOT a good reason for a 65 year old to have quads. Or even one more baby. The older siblings range right up to 44, surely somewhere in there is a baby or child younger than the 9 year old who can have sleepovers and playdates and "pretend you're my sister/brother" days.

    I'm a bit wary about "smart clothing" what if I wake up one day, feeling super lazy and pull on the same t-shirt and pants I've worn all week/month/year, only to have the clothes protest and demand a good washing?

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    1. Ain't that the truth? I personally think that 65-year-old has a screw loose.

      HA! My clothes can protest and demand that I wash them all they want. I could ignore "smart clothing" every bit as well as I ignore the other laundry. (Just kidding, but hey! It's foolish to run a load until it's a full one, right???)

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  7. I used to love new technology when my mind could absorb it all. Unfortunately, it is all filled up now and every time I try to take in more, it burps.

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    1. I've always been fascinated by science and technology, but I don't think I've ever been able to absorb it all. Doesn't stop me from still trying, but more and more, it's becoming an exercise in futility. Could be I'm suffering some of those brain burps, too. :)

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  8. Some of it just seems so pointless and lazy, but a lot as helped like dna, even for the doggy poop nuts lol

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    1. Pointless and lazy? I dunno about that, but a lot of effort DID go into developing TV remote controls...

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  9. And who knows what the next few years will bring. it's like going to the circus and watching something new come into a ring every few minutes.

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    1. Yep, no telling, but I have to admit: I'm looking forward to it, whatever it is. It's like being a character in a science fiction world... I can't wait to see what's coming next!

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  10. it is mind boggling. I only just got a cell phone two years ago - still hate to talk on it. But love to text,etc. And shock - we just got rid of the landline yesterday. I don't have a fallback. I'm adrift at sea. But I don't want to be an old fart, so must adapt. We shall carry on or ask the youngsters how to run stuff. Have a great week

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    1. You've got a cell phone? Not me. I may be the last hold-out in the entire United States, but I simply don't want one. :) I mean, how humiliating would it be to have one of those things and NO ONE, but NO ONE ever sent me a text??? HA! I'll stick with my landline... and amateur radio. Smarticus has a cell to use when we travel, but he doesn't do any texting or any of that stuff. It's (gasp!) just a... phone! (What a concept!)

      HA! Yeah, I'm an old fart, and that's okay by me.

      Happy weekend!

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    2. I'd text you. In a heartbeat. What's your number? oh wait, no cell phone....

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    3. HA! Thanks for the thought, anyway...

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  11. I'm still trying to figure out how to use my laptop and now Monster wants a tablet. I gave her a pad and pencil. She didn't get it.

    And I still haven't gotten my Kindle reader yet. It's been what, 5 years now. Someday.

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    1. HA! Love it. When our friends talked about some PDA or another, Smarticus would say he preferred his PAD, and then he'd pull out his little pad and pencil. However, he has recently gotten a tablet. A real one. Kinda. It's kinda like one with training wheels. Called a "Senior Simple." It's actually a "gateway drug." I suspect he'll be getting a more sophisticated model in no time. Then I guess I get the tricycle. :)

      You really should treat yourself to a Kindle. It opens up a world of books like you wouldn't believe.

      It's soooooo good to hear from you!

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  12. From wearable technology to funeral strippers, I believe you've brought me up to date on this brash new century. What a delightful post!

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    1. Better buy lubricant. Lots of lubricant.

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    2. first watch "that" epsisode of The Big Bang Theory...
      (the one where Howard builds a robot arm)

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  14. Why is it that I am not surprised at the Chinese news story? I think that totalitarian societies produce phenomena like this one. It's all that repression.

    Technology and I get on quite well as long s "it" knows that I am not to be rushed and pushed around. It's just not going to happen. :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Interesting comment. It didn't occur to me to connect (or blame) the Chinese funeral story on totalitarianism. I just chalked it up to their deep-seated desire to attract a crowd to honor the deceased. (By whatever means.)

      That's right! When it comes to technology, you've gotta stay in the driver's seat. When we let technology take over all the driving, we end up losing our licenses. So to speak.

      Greetings back atcha.

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  15. I must admit that my house is a retro house when it comes to technology. Old phones, a chunky computer made in BC, (yes, that's 'before Christ' it's that old) video games and household appilances etc. Modern tech scares the heck out of me. But it's a still a wonderous thing to see the evolution of many of the things we now take for granted.

    Had to read this post out to Spawn who is a techno/Sci-fi geek, who really enjoyed it.

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    1. Old phones? If by old phones, you mean the ones with rotary dials, and heavy enough to give someone a hernia trying to pick it up, we have some of them, too.

      Cool. Maybe your techno/sci-fi geek should consider getting his amateur radio license. Lots of fun technology in use there these days.

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  16. Not sure if you have heard of it but the Holy Grail for computer scientists is the "Singularity" where we build a computer whose computing capacity is equal to a human, in other words it becomes self aware. Folks as important as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have warned that such an entity could see Homo sapiens as an irritating nuance and try to pull a Terminator on the human race.
    Some futurists like the author and astrophysicist David Brin likes to think humans could welcome a self aware artificial intelligence as a kindred spirit and that we would peacefully coexist with each other. Needless to say given the overabundance of rampant nationalist and fanatical religious types making coexistence between humans impossible I have my doubts we would get along any better with a silicon-based lifeform.

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    1. I have to agree with you. If people can't co-exist peacefully, usually over petty differences, it's hard to imagine them doing any better with an AI entity that is not only vastly different, but more intelligent. And that superior intelligence would probably mean that Hawking's warning is also correct.

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  17. I swing back and forth between loving modern technology and shaking my head about it. My youngest son pretty much thinks I'm an old fuddy duddy - but then he's a computer engineer. Compared to other people my age, I do like my computer, iPad, cell phone, etc. My boss has one of those Apple watches - it tells him when he's been sitting at his desk for too long and should stand up and walk around for a bit. Ha!

    And that German woman is just nuts...maybe she's a hoarder; instead of empty grocery bags she just collects kids.

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    1. It's pretty cool that your boss's watch can alert him to when he needs to get up and move around, but I have a wind-up timer that does the same thing for me. :)

      You could be onto something. But tell ya what, it'd be a lot cheaper to hoard grocery bags.

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  18. Too many things to comment on separately but all very interesting.
    We still use our landline; no such thing as blue tooth (whatever that is); have a mobile but don't use it; a desk top Mac computer but no iPad or laptop; very old fashioned are we.
    I enjoyed the last quote as I played 10 pin bowling for a number of years (won trophies too) and think it is one game that doesn't need added technology.
    To quote George Woodcock (The Tyranny of the Clock): "....the clock represents an element of mechanical tyranny in the lives of modern men more potent than any individual exploiter" or any other machine." It turned us into servants of a machine we created. We are held in fear of our own monster. I wonder if more modern technology has more power over us than the clock? Just thinking aloud.

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    1. We still use a landline, too, and probably always will. I don't have and don't want a cell phone, although my hubby does have one for use in emergencies when we're on the road.

      I used to be a bowler, too. Really enjoyed it. At one time, I was in three different leagues at the same time. Now, I couldn't tell you when we last bowled.

      I love that Woodcock quote. Lots of truth to it, and unfortunately, your point about other forms of technology rings pretty darned true, too.

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  19. Hey Susan,

    I'm maintaining my tradition of thoroughly skimming through your fact-laden post.

    Thus, with brevity, I state that technology has passed me by and if it wasn't for the dog, I'd struggle to type this comment.

    Cat crap DNA is something Penny just mentioned to me. Seems it's okay for cats to go a wandering and dump anywhere they please.

    Time to go take photos of Uranus....

    Gary

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    1. Tell Penny it isn't okay for cats to do their business all over the place, either; that's one of the reasons ours stay in the house all the time. :)

      Hey! Take photos of Ur-own-anus... (Challenging, huh?)

      Thanks for stopping by. It's always good to hear from you.

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  20. So much interesting stuff here today.

    I can't imagine wearing a keyboard on my pants. As you said, how do you wash that? Or maybe you don't... blech.

    The lady with 13 kids having quads after menopause. I think she must be insane. Or she really loves kids. Hmm. As you said, how much they paying teachers these days? Can you imagine having 17 kids? Or having four babies at her age?

    The poo thing was hilarious, but stories about poo always are. Well, check that. The dog poo was funny. The companies in Norway monitoring their employees' time in the bathroom... not so much. Wearing a red bracelet... insane.

    The stuff about the Navy using dolphins and sea lions was fascinating and troubling. It sounds like dangerous work and while these animals are very smart, they really shouldn't be forced to work for the government for the measly cost of free fish. I mean, they can get their own fish. (They can find bombs so I think feeding themselves would come easy.) This goes to show that dolphins and sea lions don't have liberty in this country of ours. Or freedom.

    Well done. It's always one step forward and two steps back.

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    1. I'm glad you found this stuff interesting. And you've made lots of terrific comments about it. Thanks.

      As for having four babies at my age? No thanks... matter of fact, I wouldn't have been thrilled at having a four-banger at ANY age. I think the good Lord knew what He was doing when He gave me one at a time. :)

      I have mixed feelings about the dolphins and seals being used... just like I have mixed feelings about animals being used for research. I love animals of just about every kind, so it feels wrong to sacrifice them for our benefit, but if their sacrifice can save countless human lives...

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  21. You had me laughing (because a lot hit home). I've got a dysfunctional relationship with technology. That also includes the GPS lady, whose favorite night is probably Halloween. Sometimes I wonder what people a hundred years from now will think when they look back.

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    1. The GPS falls into a whole category by itself. I'm telling you, ours has a real attitude. Snotty, even. (Even when she's wrong!)

      I hope we still have people a hundred years from now. Who knows? The computers could take over...

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  22. My only problem with technology is when innovation is confused with advancement. Ebooks are the perfect example. While they are certainly a technical innovation, I hesitate to use a term like advancement. Advancement implies improvement, and whether ebooks enhance the reading experience is purely subjective on the part of the individual reader.

    Good grief! I have no intention of wearing a keypad on my yoga pants. I don’t even like that ugly watch Apple is trying to cram down my throat.

    I’m not sure it was unethical for the German woman to give birth, but it was certainly cruel, thoughtless, and uncaring. As the baby of my family, it hurts that I had so little time with parents compared to my siblings. And believe me, my parents were SIGNIFICANTLY younger than 65.

    VR Barkowski

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    1. Very insightful comment.You're right: innovation isn't necessarily synonymous with advancement or improvement, even though the innovators and admen are determined to make us believe otherwise.

      On the other hand, we know some people who adopted children late in life. Post-retirement. The upside was that they had significantly more time to spend with the kids than they did when their other kids were growing up.Time and enthusiasm I still have, but I don't know if I'd have the energy.

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  23. I just don't want to see some guy walking down the street, looking like he's fondling himself, only to find out he's composing a really intense e-mail via his pants.

    I like new technology, but I don't like being tracked. Or recorded. Or monitored. I like my privacy, and I don't like the idea of the government monitoring every single thing I do. NOW who's the fuddy duddy?

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    1. On the other hand, I'd rather see a guy walking down the street who only LOOKS like he's fondling himself, but is actually playing with a keyboard on his britches, than see one who really IS "entertaining" himself.

      Not a fuddy duddy. Smart.

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  24. Haha...Chinese cracked the code for crowd gathering! Great post.

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    1. Yep, that's one way to pack 'em in. Thanks. I'm glad you liked it.

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  25. I guess I'll never be able to work in Norway, though the funeral stripper job sounds pretty interesting. Too bad the deceased wouldn't be my only client. There goes my chance for hoping for a raise. These were all outlandishly funny, Susan!

    Julie

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    1. It'd take a special kinda gal to take on a gig stripping at a funeral parlor. She might inspire some yens, but she probably wouldn't get a single one of them stuck in her g-string. :)

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  26. Interesting post. Thanks for it.

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  27. Laptop jeans ... I'm too much of a klutz and would spill and short it. Would that zap me?

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    1. HA! I'm a klutz, too, but those laptop jeans would cause the biggest problem with our cats, because they sincerely believe their proper place in life is to be sprawled across my lap. (They usually play tag team.) It's already difficult enough to work on a regular laptop around a sprawled cat, but can you imagine how impossible it'd be if the keyboard were part of my britches?

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  28. What a very strange world we live in!

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  29. I finally cancelled the paper after the paper boy/girl refused to put it in the newspaper holder and threw it on the ground or driveway where it was trashed by cars and rain. Now I read the news on the net - but damn I do miss the paper. I still don't own a cell phone, maybe when my house phone dies? Technology passed my by ten years ago, when I no longer needed it for work - well, not the managing work I did before. The computer is needed for writing, but originally I used those yellow lined tablets and pencils. I'm a dinosaur, almost extinct but not quite! :)

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    1. No problem. Some of my best friends happen to be dinosaurs. (We've gotta stick together!)

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  30. Gosh! As usual there's so much stuff here that fascinates. For a start, that photo of the cat and the ipad, it's my girls exactly. They hate this thing. They miss my lap and won't share it. I would HATE to work anywhere that times my comfort breaks! But I can't keep my eyes off that rotating DNA. Like I say, fascinating.

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    1. Our girls aren't enamored with electronic devices, either, but they have no problem bulldozing their way onto my lap when I'm trying to use one, though.

      I'm glad you found some of this stuff fascinating. :)

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  31. Hi Susan ... technology has its ups and downs, or it's ins and outs, or its out and outa there ... I do enjoy it though and ignore what I don't like ... cheers Hilary

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