Technology: PDA to Ipad, What's Next?

I remember when the first PDAs hit the market. Their purpose was simple. They were a useful tool to organize your life. Basically, they were the modern version of those big, bulky day planners we all carried in our over sized briefcases. Most still relied on the information you entered using the touch screen or a stylus. A stylus is a lead-less pencil, whoever invented that thing is living large. Back to original subject. PDAs were very popular until our telephones started to organize our lives. Now, we didn't have to plug-in to download our activities, we simply found a hot-spot or Wi-Fi connection and we could send updates and information to anyone and anywhere. First was the Blackberry, original name as I really like the fruit, but the gadget, not so much. Who has stylus shaped fingers? Those keys were causing carpel tunnel and people to become cross-eyed staring at that small screen. The important people would refer to this thing as their private secretary. It was almost a status symbol. Oh yes sir, I see you have a Blackberry, please let me upgrade you to first class. Give me a break! Drum roll please. Enter the "smart" phone. Social media and blogs have now replaced friends meeting over coffee and community groups discussing issues face to face. We have entered an age of loneliness. We chat online with friends instead of making time to get together and share. Now, if we got together with our friends and used these forums to entertain and inform each other, I believe our relationships would be stronger. Ok, back to subject. I apologize, I tend to float off of point. Where were we? Oh yeah, I remember. Smartphones are in most cases smarter than their owners. I own one and I can not even scratch the surface of what this thing is capable of doing. Finally, we have the Ipad. Recently, a friend commented to me about her Ipad. She stated that this little thing, a little larger than a standard envelope, has all of her information stored. I asked what she considered all. I was blown away. Credit card numbers, account information, passwords, bank account numbers, account balances, birth dates and addresses for her entire family, social "security" numbers, of course her home address, pictures of her favorite memories, all of her music files, all of her letters and emails and word documents were on this Ipad. As she was telling me all these wonderful uses and tools this thing is capable, I realized that we as a society are urging technological companies to push the boundaries even further every day. I can't tell you how upset I would be if someone stole her Ipad and was able to get to all of that personal information for criminal gain. We now carry all of this personal information where ever we go, just tempting a crook to steal it. We show off our Apps and videos we discover and never give a thought of who may be targeting us at the next booth in a restaurant. Where has our privacy gone? Security of personal information has become less of a priority. I guess if you willingly put your private information on any device, you have considered and are satisfied with the possible outcomes of doing such. What's next? All of our lives are spread out on the web for all to see. If technology can replace our own brains, what's keeping it from replacing us? Thank God for dead-spots! Those people who can't connect to the internet are very fortunate as they are less likely to suffer from the hands of our own creations.

How Safe Are J-Turns?

Recently, another accident took a young life at a dangerous interstates intersection. Our prayers go out to all those who are mourning this tragedy. For years, families and friends who suffer the loss of a loved one to this perilous cross-over, have lobbied for the installation of an over pass. This intersection has a popular truck stop where big rigs frequent at all hours of the day and night. This intersection is also on the route to schools and shopping within Centreville, Md. The Maryland Transportation Authority reports that it is starting planned construction of a "J-turn" to be placed at this intersection. Recent reports from this agency quotes an 80% reduction in accidents where these are installed. Am I The Only One Who Sees This? I know I'm not! First, after so many deaths at this site, can you really put a price on the loss of life that has occurred at this intersection? Apparently, our state has a number in mind, because they have decided to install a much cheaper alternative to an overpass. Second, a J-turn, requires the driver to turn right and within a short distance, merge left across 2 lanes of traffic to access the J Turn, then merge right across another 2 lanes to make the turn onto their designated path. Oh yeah, that's safer! Not! Big rigs travelling south, will need to make a U-turn. This will cause them to block all lanes while they complete their turn. Does anybody else see the waste of money and time this solution creates? Eventually, an overpass will be approved after the money is spent on a failing J-turn project. How many J-turns do you see on the Western Shore? Get real! Use some common sense!

Falling Satellite

Am I the only one that sees this? Our country has spent billions of dollars on NASA projects. We have been to the moon multiple times. We have orbited the earth in space stations. We've even created the space shuttles that can land on a runway instead of the capsules that fell from the sky into the oceans. Wait a minute, did I say capsules would fall from the sky and land in oceans? Did these capsules during the free-fall through the atmosphere have the capability to steer. I don't think so. But NASA was able to pin point the capsules landing and rescue the astronauts. So, my point, NASA with its billions of dollars of technology, can't tell us where the falling satellite will/did land. With all of the technology circling the earth in the form of satelites, and who knows what governments have placed in orbit to spy on citizens, the best NASA can do is predict that the satellite will probably not destroy people or property. Here's where the common sense comes into play. NASA recently lost funding from the US budget for the space program. So, when the earth's inhabitants look to NASA for an answer to the question, "where will the satellite land?", NASA chuckles and sarcastically says, "wouldn't you like to know?". Common sense lesson of the day... Don't sacrifice knowledge for the sake of saving a few dollars. Rather, sacrifice frivolous government spending, $16 corn muffins? Do I need to say more?