Replacing the much lamented 'On My Mind' profile option, this thread is for musings, jottings, whimsies, preoccupations and the rest of the thesaurus for anyone to jot down anything they please.
I can't remember what the maximum character count was before, can anyone else? But anyway it wasn't very many so let's keep to that.
That’s wonderful news! My second vaccine is in March.
It will be fabulous when the majority of people are vaccinated, right?
We will be able to breathe a bit easier.
My cousin now has to be under the care of a pulmonologist. It breaks my heart to see people suffering with COVID-19.
Sure, some get over it fairly quickly but others don’t. Some don’t even survive 😞.
Have some hot tea 🍵!
That is too cold for me!
At one time my husband was offered a job in Massachusetts. I didn’t want to endure the cold New England winters.
Now though, I am sort of sorry that we didn’t try living in an area that experiences all four seasons.
We have visited during the autumn season and it was truly beautiful, as if God took a paint brush and painted all the leaves.
It was such a treat because we don’t see fall foliage here.
The snow is what scared me off the most!
re the self driving cars - it's the trial period which concerns me most. Nothing is infallible, though they may, in the end, be safer than humans driving.
I think that stifles creativity and coping mechanisms, as well as basic daily activities, but that's just my opinion. I decided years ago that I wouldn't ride with anyone who couldn't read a map but relied solely on the talking headless device for directions. That's soooo irritating when riding in a car.
Perhaps this willingness affects political issues as well, and demagogues will use this (as they already have) to their advantage. That's really frightening.
I was thinking the other day how much the CPI has and/or will continue to change to include presumably necessary tech devices. However, I'm not aware that affects SS benefits though. I certainly don't see much more than a nominal increase in mine.
This is particularly annoying, in part b/c the rush to go "everything tech" raises the issue, as someone else posted, of registering for a COVID vaccine. I refuse to register online, just as I refuse to use online "resources" as a substitute for safer ones.
I did relapse at one point last year b/c I couldn't make payments (taxes) at the municipalities b/c of their closure. It wasn't long afterward that I began getting spam, which I've never had in the last several years. Tracing them back showed one was from a source in Argentina, and I can't remember where the other one was, but it wasn't the US.
It might be that municipalities don't have the ability to make decisions that commercial entities do. I wouldn't expect the amateurs running the local government to be on a level with Chase Bank, which I would trust for protection of personal data.
And think of the derivative issues of tech devices: Computers and smart phones emit blue light, so now we have to get glasses for protection against that (although I'm told that smart phones do have blue light protection).
What do people who don't wear glasses do? Buy glasses just for blue light protection? After I got my last pair and dug into the itty bitty print, I learned that the glasses only provide 20% blue light protection. And what about e-readers? How much if any blue light protection do they provide?
So (a) reading (b) watching tv and (c) computer use now require blue light protection. I've read that some devices have filters that can be turned on, but I haven't found them yet, especially since there seems to be a trend toward not providing readable manuals; it's all online or in the device, which means spending more time looking at a blue light device while trying to figure out how to activate the protection against blue light eye damage. Smart? I'd say incredibly stupid.
What I haven't seen mentioned in the glowing accolades of the benefits these devices provide is the issue of tech device recycling and disposal.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=electronic+waste&t=h_&ia=images&iax=images
Those images are terrifying, even if there are methods of recycling. Granted that new industries have been created to address this, but the issue remains that tech devices still create a lot of e-waste.
I love your comment! I very much agree that viewing experiences from behind camera lenses are totally different from being fully present in the moment.
Chris,
Same with Fitbit. I get the concept. It’s purpose is to aid in tracking data.
It’s a tool that can keep score but it take away from the experience or as you say, “serve as a distraction” to us.
Nevertheless we do get spoiled!
I remember my kids asking me if they could use calculators when they were really young.
I told my daughters to use their brain first, then use the calculator as a tool afterwards.
I swear, I know some younger people that can’t even figure out what amount to tip in restaurants! That’s sad.
Some technology is fabulous. Some, not so much.
My husband is an engineer so he and his engineering team design products.
He’s always testing out new products and applying for patents, etc.
By the way, I would love to drive a self driving car! My husband wants to transport like on Star Trek!
My mom didn’t even use cruise control. She didn’t trust it! LOL
I want my own personal robot like ‘Rosie’ from The Jetsons!
EB,
Self driving cars do have risks. I think they will prevent accidents too though as they become more sophisticated. Do you feel that way?
I love futuristic ideas. I was the kid that was in complete awe of space travel.
Watching man walk on the moon in my classroom at school was extremely exciting to me.
The point is that they're human, and they program the various applications in use to design and operate these automated vehicles. I'm not sure if that scares me more than the fact that autos DO break down and DO have repair issues. They're never perfect.
I was thinking the other day how much the CPI has and/or will continue to change to include presumably necessary tech devices. However, I'm not aware that affects SS benefits though. I certainly don't see much more than a nominal increase in mine.
And think of the derivative issues: Computers and smart phones emit blue light, so now we have to get glasses for protection against that (although I'm told that smart phones do have blue light protection).
What do people who don't wear glasses do? Buy glasses just for blue light protection? After I got my last pair and dug into the itty bitty print, I learned that the glasses only provide 20% blue light protection. And what about e-readers? How much if any blue light protection do they provide?
Chriscat, you raise a good point about letting devices affect behavior and goals. What amazes me is how willingly so many people surrender to the domination of tech devices. I wonder if in years hence they'll still know how to think on their own.
That doesn't include Dana Bash or Nicole Wallace, though; they're seasoned professionals.
On the issues of technology helping us, I think technology has taken control away from us in so many ways. If you're not familiar with geotagging and tracking via smart phone, you might want to read this:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/opinion/capitol-attack-cellphone-data.html
The first section primarily deals with data tracking after the riot, which to me was encouraging to track down the rioters and ensure that they're deal with.
However, smart phones can produce data that can be monetized.
"We were quickly able to match more than 2,000 supposedly anonymous devices in the data set with email addresses, birthdays, ethnicities, ages and more."
"We were quickly able to match more than 2,000 supposedly anonymous devices in the data set with email addresses, birthdays, ethnicities, ages and more." (Note "supposedly anonymous".)
You have to read the entire article to put the last two quotes in perspective, but just think about, and wonder how and where all the scammers get your name.
The old adage about "Big Brother" should also include "Big business".
This article addresses government tracking, and although of concern, it's not as offensive to me as commercial tracking strictly for monetary purposes. I've often wondered how much data is sold to those obnoxious scammers who repeatedly call with fictitious data attempting to scam someone.
https://techpp.com/2013/08/22/track-phone-turned-off/
A few years ago I was at a stop light, we were running late for an appointment. The light was green and thought it was clear to proceed and oncoming car came from nowhere and did not stop and was heading toward us, told everyone to brace themselves and then put my head down getting ready for a crash and car stopped right in front of us so forcefully and the tires did not squeal. The guy obviously was not paying attention and looked at me in shock then gave me the finger. I was so darn mad more at the finger pointing. Fortunate none of us were injured including the driver of the other car. I think he had one of those self driving cars.
He was 91.
Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever.
No emotion. Just the facts Ma'am.
If it sounds urgent, panicked, and contains conflicting statements, turn it off!
The Media's extreme efforts to cause mass hysteria and drama will be exposed.
Tune out, save your brain!
I appreciate technology. I really do but it is supposed to simplify our lives and it certainly has done that in many areas. BUT when it goes haywire it really screws us up, right?
Question for you? Have you driven a self driving car? Would you?
What tech products do you love the most? Hate the most?
What took getting used to the most?
I still have a flip phone but rarely use it anymore because since cataract surgery I can no longer read things small, reading glasses make me seasick, and trying to hold a magnifier while texting means having 3 arms.
Regarding Siri, my late boss was the only person I knew who would actually get into a verbal fight with Siri.
Yes, I may end up doing that.
One more thing. Hahaha 🤣, this should probably be in the whine section BUT my other gripe is that Siri can be mighty stupid at times. LOL
For instance, we are supposed to be able to dictate text messages, then just say ‘send.’
Okay, that’s great. I decide to use this feature and send a message to my daughter.
She called me up a second after the message was sent and asked me if I had been drinking! 😂 LOL
I told her that I was NOT drinking! I asked her why would she ask me that. It was morning time! She knows that I hardly ever drink anyway.
So she told me to read the text message that I sent.
Oh my gosh! Siri barely got any of it right and the message was insane!
I hope no one sends a message to their boss using Siri. LOL
I am annoyed enough with my phone that I am considering looking at my settings and shutting off features too.