TECHNOLOGY: Amazing cars you probably didn’t know about

Monday, March 15, 2010

http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/car-tech/10-high-tech-cars-to-tear-up-the-tarmac-675005

Car tech News
10 high tech cars to tear up the tarmac
Our pick of the world’s most advanced street autos
By John Brandon
Friday at 15:20 GMT

*** begin quote ***

Car technology is advancing quickly – partly to save the auto industry from imminent collapse, but also because tech innovations can help save lives on the road.

*** end quote ***

Not sure if I need it to tell me that there are people in front of me. Maybe in a decade or two.

I probably could use it to remember the last speed sign we passed. Or remind where I see the radar traps.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Insane, but good, taxonomy of entreprenuers

Sunday, March 14, 2010

http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/06/replicators-innovators-and-bill-gates/

Replicators, Innovators, and Bill Gates
by Vivek Wadhwa
on Mar 6, 2010

*** begin quote ***

After agonizing over this for weeks, I went to my friends at the Kauffman Foundation, and they referred me to their book titled “Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism”. Carl Schramm and Bob Litan wrote that all who take the risk are entrepreneurs, but that there are two types of entrepreneurs: “Replicative entrepreneurs”, who constitute the vast majority of small businesses (such as restaurants and dry cleaners), and “innovative entrepreneurs” — the rare few who bring new products/services to market or who pioneer new production methods (such as Walmart, eBay, and Dell).

*** end quote ***

(Has Vivek gotten smarter since when I worked with him? Or, am I slipping?)

Interesting distinction.

My take on it is that the USA needs more of both kinds.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Just use GMT!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/pr/end-daylight-saving-time2.html

End Daylight Saving Time
by Sheila Danzig

*** begin quote ***

It has not escaped our notice that in the United States, Eastern standard time is the same as Central daylight time and Mountain standard time is the same as Pacific Daylight Time. Thus, we propose that The Pacific and Central time zones remain on permanent daylight saving time, and that the Mountain and Eastern time zones remain on permanent standard time.

*** and ***

This proposal will simplify scheduling, travel, and commerce. And by ending semi-annual clock tampering, it will also allow people to get more sleep, be better adjusted to their daily routine, avoid missed appointments resulting from failure to reset clocks, and, most importantly, save lives.

*** end quote ***

http://www.standardtime.com/

I don’t agree completely.

Let’s just go to GMT time. COmputers already do.

And, leave everyone free to sort out the details themselves.

With one standard time, people will sort it out.

# # # # #

1 Comment | Technology | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Thinkg about non-stopping Toyotas

Friday, March 12, 2010

FROM A FACEBOOK EXCHANGE

*** begin quote ***

ABCDEF wants to know how you can be trapped in a runaway car with a stuck accelerator for 20 minutes. I would like to know if people are so stupid to not know that turning off the car will at least allow you to coast to a stop if the brakes are not working (icluding the emergency brake). Or is there some hidden part of the st…ories where the cars cannot be turned off? If there is… why hasn’t any media outlet said that?

*** end quote ***

I “believe” (Medicine from Doctor Phil, Law from Judge Judy, and Politics from Glen Beck) that the stupid things do NOT respond to turning the key OFF. (Not to ACC or to the position that allows the key to be extracted and locks the steering.) The lame street Press has reported that there is SOME kind of a button, somewhere in the cabin, that can … See Morebe pushed for an “emergency stop”. (I’d have thought pushing the brake pedal would engage the brake. OH NO, dumm, there’s some SOFTWARE involved in the process. Are they out of their freakin’ minds. Nobody involved ever done “software” support.) Sigh.

P.S. In my Mom’s garage, sometimes people block me in. I used to move cars. Now, if it’s a Toyota, I call the attendant. :-) Discretion!

# – # – #

I, and others, don’t think it’s that easy. From what I understand, admittedly just from what I read, software is allowed to over ride the operator stomping on the brake. I find that incredulous. But, evidently, this little gem has a software that has a mind of its own. I’ll play Sargent Shultz, who says “I know nuthin, Nuting, Nothing at all”! But, it may not be so clear cut. Just an opinion.

# – # – #

*** begin quote ***

GHIJKL: sorry , i’ve never known a car that doesn’t allow you to take it out of gear , and emergency breaks are a physical cable with 0 electronics in them ( thats sort of the point of them else they wouldn’t be able to pass inspection ) although i believe breaks could be disabled due to abs and you may not be able to turn off the engine , a gear box is a gear box , can ALWAYS put it in neutral even if you cant do park/reverse.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but I think we are ALL going to need to do a “software update”. A month ago, I’d have said the same thing. (Probably with a lot more sarcasm!) Without having gotten one of these gems and ripped it apart, the Main Stream Media — or Lamestream Media — has led me to believe that this is no longer true. The car has a significant software …

# – # – #

[JR: I’ll continue to follow the reports.]

# # # # #

UPDATE

Now it appears that there is some question about the authenticity and accuracy of these claims.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Can’t Yahoo at least id spam that claims to be from Yahoo?

Friday, March 12, 2010

*** begin quote ***

From: “Yahoo!” <jenny@networkci.net>
Date: March 12, 2010 1:53:42 AM EST
To: <jenny@networkci.net>
Subject: Verify Your Account Services!!!
Reply-To: mail.dataservicea2@yahoo.com



Yahoo! Customer Care Satisfaction Survey

                             Account Alert Yahoo!

Dear Valued Member,
Due to the congestion in all Yahoo users and removal of all unused Yahoo! Accounts, Yahoo would be shutting down all unused accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Info below after clicking the reply botton, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
UserName: ……………………………… Yahoo!
Password:………………………………….
Date Of Birth: …………………………………..
Country Or Territory:..……………………….
After Following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconvinience.



Yahoo! Customer Care Yahoo!


*** end quote ***

This type of SPAM is exceptionally frustrating.

Yahoo should at least be able to catch it.

They even have a offering of “hidden addresses”. So you’d thing they could use that to ensure that their sers KNOW what’s really from them.

Come on, guys, this ain’t rocket science! Is it?

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Free audio books

Friday, March 12, 2010

http://www.booksshouldbefree.com

BooksShouldBeFree.com

*** begin quote ***

Your source for free audio books. Download one in mp3, iPod and iTunes format today.

*** end quote ***

The great, not so great, and terrible books for those long car rides!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: CAREMARK WEB SITE and catch-22

Sunday, March 7, 2010

*** begin quote ***

From Caremark

To Caremark Portal User

Date Sent 02/10/2010

Subject Important Information: New Security Enhancement

Message New security step on Caremark.com starting Feb. 20!

The security of your personal and health information is of utmost importance to us. For your protection, we’ll ask you to answer a “challenge question” the first time you log on to Caremark.com on or after Feb. 20, 2010. If you’re using your own computer, you only have to answer the question once, or if you prefer, you may set your User Profile to require it more often. If you are logging on from a different computer, you will be asked the question each time. If you cannot remember your answer, contact our Web Customer Care at 1-800-378-9442.

Thank you.

*** end quote ***

Arghhhhhhh!

First, this email is only available on their “portal” AFTER you logon. You can’t logon because “secondary questions” were NEVER set up. You can’t email into them because they only respond to your inbound email on their “portal” which you can’t get into. And, more aggravating is that they send you an email to saying “look at the portal inbox”. From an unattended email address.

Are they kidding? Has any one THOUGHT about this “barbara streisand”? Doubtful!

Arghhhhhhh!

(I HATE “secondary” identification. It merely provides hackers an alternative way to crack your account. How many favorite colors or mother’s maiden names do you have? My mother’s maiden name changes by web site as does my color. Here’s my five favorite colors: Cxu14, H4v4j, s7Jb5, T9B68, and 1dsz6. And, yes, I use different passwords on every site. Also stupid are those sites that force a format for passwords.)

Arghhhhhhh!

Then, you’re left with no choice but calling in to “tech support”. Innumerable prompts, and delays.

Arghhhhhhh!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | SERVICE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: “referal failure” medical error

Saturday, March 6, 2010

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100226101330.htm

The Most Frequent Error in Medicine

*** begin quote ***

ScienceDaily (Feb. 26, 2010) — The most frequent error in medicine seems to occur nearly one out of three times a patient is referred to a specialist. A new study found that nearly a third of patients age 65 and older referred to a specialist are not scheduled for appointments and therefore do not receive the treatment their primary care doctor intended.

*** end quote ***

It would seem that technology could eliminate that “disconnect” problem. It’s the “committed database transaction” problem.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: “twitter sparks…” a customer service revolution!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/28/cherchez-la-fame

NSFW: Cherchez la fame – or why the media’s obsession with Twitter campaigns will make customer service smell French

   * 5 Comments

   *

   *

   Share3

   * Buzz it

by Paul Carr on Feb 28, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Time was, companies knew how to keep track of their important customers.

*** and ***

Two years ago, none of this would have been news. A cult film maker was kicked off a flight? So? What was he going to do? Make a film called ‘Jay and Silent Bob hate Southwest airlines’? (Admittedly that would still have been better than Jersey Girl). An entrepreneur’s got quietly kicked out of a members’ club to make way for more profitable clients? Tough shit: that one’s not even newsworthy enough for the most desperate trade magazine. A little known designer gets ripped off by a gigantic retail chain? Boo hoo. Tell it to someone who cares. Without a major celebrity angle, there was little to no chance of the media picking up a run-of-the-mill intellectual property complaint and forcing the company into action.

*** and ***

Really there’s only one answer – and it’s one that strikes at the very heart of the established hierarchy of customer importance. Companies are going to have to start treating every single customer like a VIP. Actually, no, it’s worse than that – consider the Hidden Eloise example; she wasn’t a customer, but just a humble designer. Companies are going to have to start treating every single person in the world like a VIP.

*** end quote ***

Twitter will burn more and more organizations that are inconsiderate, fraudulent, or deceptive.

I love the strategy: form up your ‘David vs Goliath’ story and get people tweeting and retweeting about it.

Then, watch the “blood”!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | SERVICE | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: Your ISP email address is a trap; any ATT users as well?

Saturday, February 27, 2010

FROM AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENT

*** begin quote ***

AT&T has made some major changes to its internet system. They included removing the term “worldnet” from the Email address that some of you use to contact me. They will not transmit emails that contain that term after 3/15.

*** end quote ***

https://reinkefaceslife.com/2007/07/14/productivity-changing-email-addresses/

*** begin quote ***

In my mind, it’s impossible to communicate the change to everyone who has your old email address. It may have been given to them by someone else.

*** end quote ***

May I suggest that you might want to avoid giving out your ISP’s email address?

Your ISP’s email is a trap to lock you in to their service. It can leave you high and dry at the most inopportune times.

They can: (1) be acquired; (2) sell out; (3) change their brand; (4) go out of business; (5) do something dumb; OR (6) have a meltdown of some type.

And, you can be out of luck. No email temporarily or permanently. Then you’re forced to change.

Good luck finding everyone who HAS your email address. They may have been given it by someone you know. But you don’t know them.

You should NEVER permit them to own almost the mort important thing you “own” — your email address. It’s a key to your digital identity. if they get bought out or go out.

Argh!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | SERVICE | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »