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Technologies Changing Our Lives

icrowave ovens save us from the spectre of fiery deaths from forgotten soups and tea kettles. Cellphones let us big brother shady mates. The internet saves our backs from weekly recycling bin schleps. Aspartame lets us gorge ourselves silly on sweet nothings. Wireless LANs save us from having to enter the jungles growing in the dark recesses behind our desks. CD-burners liberate us from all those awful songs on sketchy albums.
     And who isn't eagerly awaiting self-driving cars that never need refueling? Or gene therapies to reverse the effects of ageing? Or hypersonic airliners to cut those interminable transpacific crossings to an hour or two?
     Is it just us or is technological progress the only reliable force for improving human life?
     So what technologies are changing your lives? And what technologies are you staying away from?

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:09:33 PM)

[Can we get back to discussing the changes wrought by tech? Thanks. --Ed]
MLK,

I never understood how people can read a book or magazine at the gym. Doesn't it get all sweaty? What about motion sickness. I think I would get motion sickness trying to run or bike vigorously and read at the same time.

Then I'll fall down. That's not pretty at all.
AC Dropout
   Wednesday, July 24, 2002 at 11:24:50 (PDT)
MLK,

No I don't need any hand holding. I'm a tough guy, remember. I deal with this problem when I'm good and ready. Like when one of the NYC teams win a Championship, I go see the ticker tape parade down there.

Or when they build the towers up again or something....
AC Dropout
   Tuesday, July 23, 2002 at 17:07:16 (PDT)
AC

Working out is boring to me. So boring in fact that I have to bring a book with me and read while I'm peddling around the gym on a stationary bike...forget about breathing, it's all in the name of looking pretty.

Fancy kicks sound like something fun. I would like to learn how to do that, but since I don't know martial arts, I guess I better stick to aerobics and simple stuff I do know how to do.

J&R is on-line. I've bought stuff from there in the past and they're pretty good about getting your stuff to you. If you can't handle being there in person, buy online.

But that's denial and avoidance, and that's not the best way to deal with what you've got, a psychological barrier against a horror that you aren't ready to face yet. You would feel better if you drove there and bring some flowers for the deceased. This way, you can begin to face the reality of what's happened. You have to face ground-zero (and what happened there) one of these old days.

Want me to hold your hand while you go?
MLK
   Monday, July 22, 2002 at 20:56:21 (PDT)
MLK,

I haven't even been close to ground zero since 9/11. Can't deal with it. Even though one of my favorite stores is down there, J&R Music World. One of best consumer electronic stores in the city. Been to Chinatown in Mahattan often though. It's only like 5-10 blocks away.

I use to stand up to gangsters without thinking about it. Now when it is time just visit my old work location I have a ton of excuses. The traffic, the lines, the smell, etc. I'm kind of a wuss on the whole thing.

When I need to vent I just go to the gym and sweat it out. Or I practice some fancy kicks I will never use again in front of a mirror.

Work has so many factors one needs to think about. Working out you only need to think about breathing and looking pretty.
AC Dropout
   Monday, July 22, 2002 at 06:59:23 (PDT)
cheerios,

That's a loaded question.

It like those highschool puppy love deals. Would she say yes, would she say no. So you bump into her years later. Do you ask to find out.

Or like adoptees and biological parents. Should they try to locate each other.

Some stones are best left unturned for now. I will just hold onto the memories just a little while longer. Don't really want that kind of distraction right now.
AC Dropout
   Monday, July 22, 2002 at 06:48:23 (PDT)
AC

Alright, be nice now. When I said you could learn a lot from dogs, sniffing my butt and crotch was not one of them; neither is licking my face nor barking at me. And weighing in at 10 hefty pounds each, I'm sure they are a major life threat to you. Oh...btw...What happened to you as a child in regards to dogs?

For many people (and to a great extent, men) work can be a great distraction from life events that are hard to deal with. Me, I cannot focus on work when life dramas are happening. I need to be out there, to absorb all the flavors, smells, sights, sounds, and emotions of the here and now, because I need to have fodder to shape my creative energies.

I don't think I have what it takes to be a businessman. First, I'm not a man, and second, I would be far too busy absorbing and experiencing all of life around me to worry about my employees' payroll every Bi/Fri.

Maybe that's why I'm poor and you're rich! :) We all get what we deserve.

MLK
   Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 22:34:18 (PDT)
AC Dropout:

About the phone calls, wouldn't it be better to find out and deal with it, however painful, than to always wonder?
cheerios
   Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 22:29:33 (PDT)
nyhomboy

Ahh! Humanity! I was begining to think that AC and I were lost in never-never land where nobody visits anymore. Did you get a chance to see it up close and personal?
MLK
   Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 22:18:19 (PDT)
MLK,

Sometimes I get pretty focused. So I don't think much about it. I'm just glad I was far enough away not to see people jump out of the windows. I don't think I could deal with that, live. There are urban legends now of people who jumped that day and were caught in an up-draft, thus lived. I don't believe in them too much. Sure I was aware what was going on. Real estate deal and Lawyers on 9/11. Someone's gots to make sure employees get paid on 9/15 and 9/30.

Sure I'll make sure to sniff your butt and crotch, if we ever meet. Look Dogs are cool. I just don't like them due to childhood trauma.
AC Dropout
   Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 09:56:36 (PDT)
nyhomboy,

Well you know I have to make sure the company is running to pay salaries every two weeks. If I slack off too much people livehoods are at stake. I take my responsibilities in my business pretty seriously.

It did stink pretty bad. I even smelled it in Queens when the wind blew the wrong way.

There are still thoughts I don't think too much about. Like I use to work in building 2 and 7 of the WTC. I know all the people got out in building 7. But my co-workers that used to work with in building 2 was pretty high up in there. I don't even want to know. To this day I'm afraid to even make the phone calls. I don't think I could deal with it.

AC Dropout
   Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 09:50:26 (PDT)

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