Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic

Does this mean we will be totally irrelevant soon, or living a life of leisure while robots do all the work?
Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic

being good at conversation

It may seem contradictory, but being good at conversation doesn't require saying much at all- it requires listening intently. Unless you have something specific to convey, or an activity in common, finding non-controversial topics to discuss may not present themselves immediately. Most people, however, will let you know what they want to talk about, and if you let them lead the conversation, they will leave happy. If the topic that comes up is something you know nothing about, let them teach you about it- ask questions and let them lead you to either an understanding, or more questions.

Most folks I have met are happy talking shop- ask them about their work and if you can understand the good and bad points, they will feel you understand their point of view and can sympathize with their frustrations- since we all have them, however slight they may appear in the grand scheme of things. Reading the news can give you the opportunity to discuss current events, but try not to choose a topic where you might butt heads- stay away from politics unless you are running for office or scouting opinions for a reason, liking taking a poll. Sports is always a good choice, and another is emerging technologies. If you can start a thread with "Did you hear about…" and not lead it to gossip, you will leave them with something to think about; try to have references ready- don't, as I sometimes do, say you can't remember where you read it unless you are asking them in order to find out. Offer to email them an article on the topic you found interesting.

Conversing isn't that hard, its getting started that's hard, so come prepared. ;-)

tv

I think "Lost" may have jumped the shark last night. I was entranced, but this morning I thought "What the **xx##"? No one survives that close to a bomb, Sawyer never mentions that Juliette set the thing off, and why would they bring Juliette back to life only to kill her off three minutes later? Not to mention Sayid coming back to life after being "dead" for like 45 minutes…

I'll probably stick with it just to see if they manage to somehow tie it all together, but I got this sick "this better not be a dream sequence" feeling last night. If we find out Jack dreamt the whole thing and is going to use it to write a best-seller, I'll be sorely disappointed.

All the shows this season seem to be mimicking each other; I've seen 3 or 4 scenes on planes- Chuck, NCIS, Human Target, and now Lost. I'll concede that Lost has precedence, but maybe we need another writer's strike to give them time to come up with new material.

a great way to give to charity

It appears as if the bad guys have even infiltrated one of the most generous actions of the good guys- giving to charity. Donating is now fraught with dangers of wasteful spending, or downright fraud. Even the great new idea of giving through text messaging isn't without drawbacks as wireless providers must channel donations through middlemen, causing delays in getting the cash where it's direly needed.

One of my problems with donating money is the relentless begging that comes in it's wake. In the “no good deed goes unpunished” category, charities capture your personal information to add to their list- and the list of anyone they share the info with- in order to hound you for eternity for more donations. Sometimes you want to donate to a cause anonymously just to avoid this, or you just want to make a one-time donation after a catastrophic event such as the recent earthquakes in Haiti.

Well I did some digging and think I have found an answer. I went searching for a way to donate through PayPal, which I figured would protect my personal information and offer only my email address as identification. Here’s what I found, with thanks to poster "Abby1957" who commented on the USA Today article “How to give smart to Haiti.”:

A site called “Charity Navigator” (http://www.charitynavigator.org) which rates charities (according to the percentage of donations that actual make it to the designated cause, and outlines exactly how they are spending the money) directed me to buy a “Good Card” offered through the “Network for Good.” You can purchase the card with PayPal or a credit/debit card and then designate where the proceeds are to go via either site. Be aware that a $5 processing charge will be added to the donation amount you choose, so if you choose say $20, your charge will actually be $25. (There is an option to amend the amount before it’s deducted.) I bought a “Good Card”, emailed it to myself and then redeemed it for a charitable donation- all within five minutes and without leaving my keyboard. Seriously, folks, if you are putting take-out on the table, you can afford to donate a few bucks. Money is tight everywhere, but we are luckier than many people on this planet and we should share our good fortune, if only to avoid the guilt that comes with the “scrooge” factor!

time stamp

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha...I just noticed that these posts are time stamped PST- three hours earlier than they are created. Pretty cool trick, but anyone who knows me would realize that I am not writing anything at 7:20am!

social media

Social Media is such an interesting phenomenon. It levels the playing field by giving a voice to everyone and anyone willing/able to participate. But it has these shades to it- part voyeur, part preacher, part stalker. And whine? Now everyone can whine and there is someone to commiserate! I guess it's cheaper than therapy, but getting advice from sympathizers might not be the best for one’s overall mental health. ;-)

weather

I want to know where it is that residents never complain about the weather. Then I want a house there.