IBM – Page 12 – Ian’s Thing

Not That Smart, Is It?

July 21, 2020July 21, 2020 IBM Leave a comment

I love playing with gadgets. I use my iPhone and Apple Watch to monitor and record events in my life. I have a Smart TV, which of course is really just a TV connected to the Internet with added apps.

I just can’t get my head around spending money on a ‘Smart’ home though.

The central heating thermostat is set at the same temperature all year round and it does its job; the heating comes on when it gets cold enough.

I suppose a remote controlled lamp in the living room could be useful, but beyond that I can’t see much point. What’s the use of a smart kettle? It only takes a couple of minutes to boil and in any case I’ve still got to fill it up with water first. Same goes for a coffee machine or a toaster.

Until there’s a fully robotic experience, when the tea, coffee or toast is actually brought to my sofa ready to drink and eat, I think I’ll carry on as I am.

Vintage Kettle & Toaster — !970’s Kettle & Toaster

By the way, my electric kettle is 1970’s vintage, still going strong, and is made very more robustly than the plastic ones these days.

The toaster is only a couple of years old but made to a long-time tried and trusted design.

Masking The Issue

July 13, 2020July 13, 2020 IBM Leave a comment

There is much discussion and even argument about the wearing of masks during this Covid-19 pandemic.

On one side are those who are convinced they feel safer with everyone, including themselves. wearing a mask. On the other side are those that loudly complain that it is in breach of their freedoms, or constitutional rights.

It seems to me though, that even if wearing a mask helps a little bit, it’s a help. Even if the risk is only reduced slightly it’s still a reduction.

Wearing a mask on the bus. — Riding the bus. Wearing a mask.

The point that I’ve not heard mentioned though is this. If wearing a mask reduces transmission of infectious diseases (even if only slightly) it will not only reduce the spread of Covid-19 but, moving on into the fall and winter, when the colder months allow other diseases to run rampant, it will surely help to reduce the spread of those too.

There are those people that love to quote the deaths caused by influenza in a typical year compared with Covid-19. If more people wear masks more of the time, it follows that we’ll have less deaths from influenza too.

Perhaps though, for some, it’s more important to have that freedom; the freedom to infect others?

A Green and pleasant Land

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 IBM Leave a comment

I live in a green and pleasant land. People are generally friendly, and we have safe, good quality, food. Where I live I can sample many cuisines from around the world without going more than a dozen miles from home. We make over 700 different cheeses. I can safely drink water from the tap. We also brew some of the best beer in the world.

We have (outside of Covid-19) freedom of movement, and the right to roam around the countryside. We have a modern banking system, where money can be transferred almost instantaneously. We can usually approach our police without them or us feeling threatened. We have uncensored access to the Internet. We have a multitude of radio and television channels covering many interests and genres. We still have free public libraries. We have universal health care, which is free at the point of use. Carrying I.D. is not a mandatory requirement, and carrying a gun to protect myself isn’t necessary.