31st
August
2008
If the actions of the local banking industry are an indication, the cashless society model is alive and well. This evening, I had some cash to deposit, so I headed up to the building where we’ve done our cashier-free transactions for the last two decades. The machines were gone. No forwarding address, no explanation, no screen waiting to watch me (they do watch me; I saw that in a movie once, so I believe it).
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posted in economy |
30th
August
2008
I’ve decided to listen to the radio this evening. While I write. No big deal there, except that it involves technology that goes some lengths beyond the little crystal rocket radio my father used to attach to the telegraph wires in the station, roughly a half-century ago. In some ways, the system here this evening is overkill, but it goes with the direction we’ve been through the last few years.
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posted in technology, Wx |
29th
August
2008
Here in North America, we eat our politicians raw, with a bit of sauce on the side. Doesn’t matter what level of government, or what the stripe, we know far too much about them before, during and after the electoral process. Pity it doesn’t stop my neighbours from electing idiots to powerful positions, but that’s for another time.
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posted in politics |
28th
August
2008
With the proof that a long weekend is at hand (gas just jumped to $1.37/litre) I’m moving one step closer to trading in my first real laptop for another. Son #2 is ready, and I purchased a new mouse, so that the transfer would be useful. Poor Dell One has a touchpad button that is stubbornly stiff, in spite of tabletop surgery, a lot of compressed air and wishful thinking.
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posted in computing |
27th
August
2008
And what if she actually touched a teddy bear? Is it now worth more to the buyer? Those are the questions that follow a recent visit to a local toy store by the world famous Celine and her son and spouse. Don’t get me wrong, I think being a fan is a wonderful hobby, but I also understand that fan is derived from fanatic (thank you, my teachers that were etymologists at heart).
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posted in economy |
26th
August
2008
I guess I’d not paid enough attention. While in the hardware store last evening, I decided to replace the electrical plug that was mangled in a recent industrial/agricultural/domestic accident. Given that the plugs were in bins right beside me, colour-coded (if black and yellow can be considered as sufficient choices) and priced within my budget, I grabbed a pair of generic plugs (rather than sockets) and headed to the checkout. The scanned price was higher than I’d remembered, but the girl assured me that people often mixed up the contents of the bins. I now owned two 20 Amp connectors, suitable for use by the amateur home repairman.
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posted in technology |
25th
August
2008
Is there a scale of measure for distraction? Can we compare the level to which one person has moved away from the desired direction of attention to that of another? I wonder. This afternoon, son #3 proved that even the most boring of tasks requires some work. Case in point: mowing the lawn.
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posted in technology |
24th
August
2008
Sometimes I should just ignore the ringing telephone, since it’s rarely for me. Even when the caller asks for me by name. A few minutes ago, a long distance caller (call display tells half the story, usually) wanted to know if I would vote for a certain Harper. What, did they call an election on the weekend while everyone was distracted by the Olympics?
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posted in politics |
23rd
August
2008
My contact with Dell support today left me bewildered. Here is a company that understands the online model of sales. Great techniques to convince a potential buyer that their model really does exist. Fast, free shipping. Quality product. And then, the bump in the road.
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posted in computing, politics |
22nd
August
2008
I wonder if other fairy tales leave as much collateral damage in their wakes. Today is C-Day, and the C may stand for Cinderella, or Caligula, or Celine, according to your interpretation. The whole city has been “stood on its ear”, which might be a tribute to the quality of the musical talent, or a tongue in cheek reference to the way that this oversized village handles fame and fortune (as reflected in the flow of traffic).
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posted in media, music |
