Whoever said that technology would give us more free time and relieve us from the daily grind was obviously wrong. Most of us are technology junkies waiting for a bigger and stronger fix. This comes in the form of wanting more features on our computers, cell phones and other assorted gadgets. We will wait in line for days to get the latest phone so we can be the first one to show it off to our friends. Technology can save us time if applied properly but how many of us truly use it toward that end. We find reasons to stay on the Internet for hours when we could be reading a book, tend to a garden or take a walk.
We find all kind of excuses why we need to be on the Internet. The addict also can rationalize his addiction. Wonder what would happen if the Internet totally stopped one day. I know, I know, that’s why the Internet was invented so that mass communication could never be completely halted. But imagine it happening, would you have Internet withdrawal symptom? Would you crave to check your email just once even if there was only spam in your inbox? Would you feel technology naked without your cell phone? Would the inner peace you felt by not being disturbed at anytime cause you anxiety attacks?
Time to end this post now. It’s already been 30mn and I have to check my voice messages, my email, download photos I took today, do some editing on my website, add several podcasts to my ipod and Skype a couple of friends in Paris.
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Every year we discard thousand of tons of unused medical supplies. This is due to overproduction, procedural excess and regulatory requirements. Since they are not used, these supplies are either incinerated or sent to landfils. In addition to being wasteful, this is harmful to the environment. At the same time in developing countries many thousands of patients do not receive treatment due to a lack of medical supplies. Doc to Dock collects these unused medical supplies and sends them to Africa.
The way this is done is by:
Receiving monetary donations and collecting the medical supplies from participating hospitals.
Volunteers sort out all the supplies.
Medical centers overseas order online what they need.
The supplies are then shipped.
You can make a difference. $1 collected allows Doc to Dock to send the equivalent of $20 in medical supplies.
If you are in the medical field you can help in the following ways:
Medical centers can set up recycling bins in operating rooms and suites. After a facility renovation, you can donate used but working equipment
Health care professional can spread the word. They can also bring designated items to conventions and conferences.
Large and small medical companies can donate inventories and become a sponsor.
Christmas is fast approaching and Bob Hope is nowhere to be seen. It seems just like yesterday that entertainers would volunteer to entertain our troops during the year end holidays. From World War II to the present, the USO (United Service Organization) has been the link between the American people and our men and women in uniform, conveying the heartfelt appreciation and support of a grateful nation. Each year, the list of entertainers who volunteer gets smaller. Do you know who is going overseas this year? Here is the list. Looks like a few names are missing. All of “show business” is A.W.O.L. and not ready to be found. Let’s see, ”skiing in St. Moritz or entertaining the troops in Iraq? Just kidding, I know that everyone would make the right choice if asked. Actually no one has to decide because there is no one to take over for Bob Hope. Perhaps one or more entertainers or their agents will read this blog and start to “enlist” entertainers for next year’s Christmas USO shows overseas. It can do wonders for one’s career. The show can be sold to a network and segments broadcast live over the internet.
It is my opinion that there is no guilty party here. We do support our troops and appreciate the sacrifice they make for us all. It’s just that we lead very busy lives and don’t always take the time to thank them. This is one way to show them how much they mean to us. Let’s make sure that next year we renew with the tradition and put on a show as only American entertainers can.
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After several unsuccessful attempts by airlines to offer internet service via satellites, it appears that 2008 will be the year internet access finally takes off. (pardon the pun). It is hard to believe that just a year ago Boeing scrapped its in-flight Internet service saying there was insufficient demand. It is more likely that there was a demand but the technology was not completey developped meaning quite a bit of outage while logged on. It’s never easy trying to built a system that must operate at 600 mph and up 35,000 feet.
It seems that progress has been made since last year and your internet connection in the sky should be more reliable now. Soon after take off you may hear the following announcement “the seat belt sign is off and you may log on now”. Starting next week, Jet Blue will begin offering email and instant messaging service. In the next few months, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Virgin America will be offering a broader choice of internet services. These features will cost around $10 per flight. It is easy to imagine the coming technology in those planes. No need to bring a computer or blackberry onboard. For example the tray in front of you will becomes a laptop computer as you pull it down. No more need for separate screens, you can watch a movie, write an email or just browse the internet.
As always, the human element will decide whether we get to enjoy this new technology. There will be a need to develop some form of netiquette in the sky. No one will want to be stuck next to someone who will talk on his skype device for the whole trip. I wonder if the airlines will try to block some internet sites that have no “redeeming social values. ” If not, how will the airline guard against people accessing those sites especially if there are children nearby? Will passengers try to handle the matter themselves if not satisfied by the way the airline handles the situation? For my next flight, remind me to sit next to a nun who has laryngitis.
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Properties all over the US are going into foreclosures. This is no surprise as loans that never should have been approved are rising to their indexed levels. Back in 2005, you needed only to be breathing to get a loan. Banks were falling over themselves in approving loans so they could collect fat closing fees. It does not take a genius to figure out that if you bring out loan programs such as stated income and stated assets, some people are going to inflate those numbers to get a loan. Investors rushed out to buy these loans for their portfolios. It never occured to them that quite a few of those loans would default. Investors knew exactly the terms under which those loans were made when they bought these loans. Now all the parties involved are playing the blame game. Homeowners are blaming the banks or mortgage bankers for not disclosing all the terms of their loans. Didn’t they sign loan documents? Weren’t all the terms spelled out in those documents with the important features most likely in bold letters?
The government has stepped in to stem the rise in expected foreclosures. The plan is to put a moratorium on increases in subprime loans for a period of 5 years. Not everyone can take advantage of this proposal. It’s only for those that will not be able to afford the higher monthly payments when their loan rates adjust upward. It will not be for those that have gotten behind on their mortgage payments. The loans must have been funded between January 2005 and July 2007. If you read this accord closely, you will find that a majority of homeowners will not be able to qualify.
As I see it, this is just a stopgap measure. It is not binding on the lending industry so homeowners will have to negotiate with their lender. There is no guarantee the lender will agree to a settlement. It would have been better to let the market settle by itself. Everyone involved is hoping that by buying time, real estate will rise again. This is not certain and we may be in for another round of foreclosures in five years.
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Whoever said that technology would give us more free time and relieve us from the daily grind was obviously wrong. Most of us are technology junkies waiting for a bigger and stronger fix. This comes in the form of wanting more features on our computers, cell phones and other assorted gadgets. We will wait in line for days to get the latest phone so we can be the first one to show it off to our friends. Technology can save us time if applied properly but how many of us truly use it toward that end. We find reasons to stay on the Internet for hours when we could be reading a book, tend to a garden or take a walk.
ry requirements. Since they are not used, these supplies are either incinerated or sent to landfils. In addition to being wasteful, this is harmful to the environment. At the same time in developing countries many thousands of patients do not receive treatment due to a lack of medical supplies. Doc to Dock collects these unused medical supplies and sends them to Africa.
Soon after take off you may hear the following announcement “the seat belt sign is off and you may log on now”. Starting next week, Jet Blue will begin offering email and instant messaging service. In the next few months, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Virgin America will be offering a broader choice of internet services. These features will cost around $10 per flight. It is easy to imagine the coming technology in those planes. No need to bring a computer or blackberry onboard. For example the tray in front of you will becomes a laptop computer as you pull it down. No more need for separate screens, you can watch a movie, write an email or just browse the internet.
could collect fat closing fees. It does not take a genius to figure out that if you bring out loan programs such as stated income and stated assets, some people are going to inflate those numbers to get a loan. Investors rushed out to buy these loans for their portfolios. It never occured to them that quite a few of those loans would default. Investors knew exactly the terms under which those loans were made when they bought these loans. Now all the parties involved are playing the blame game. Homeowners are blaming the banks or mortgage bankers for not disclosing all the terms of their loans. Didn’t they sign loan documents? Weren’t all the terms spelled out in those documents with the important features most likely in bold letters?