Technology...always making our lives better!
"I'm going to plug in my new iPod," said Elizabeth as we were driving back to the country. The following conversation ensued:
"Let's see, you just plug this into the cigarette lighter, I think...."
"Better read the directions," said Edward.
"Where are the directions? I thought they were in the box..."
"I don't see them."
"They have to be here somewhere... Well, maybe I can figure this out... It's supposed to work through the radio."
"What do you mean, 'through' the radio...it just uses the radio's speakers..."
"Yes, but it has to connect to them somehow."
"Maybe you've got to wire it in..."
"Wire it in? How would I do that? I'm not going to take the radio apart..."
"Wait...here are the directions...I found them...problem solved...
"Let's see...you set the radio to a station. It says the station should have a lot of static..."
"We've been listening to static...that's all we get anyway on that stupid radio.
"Oh, be quiet...I'm just following the directions."
"Well, I don't hear anything...Mom, you changed the station."
"Oh, no wonder... There. Now, I've got the station set...on the iPod...and on the radio... Hmmm... Still nothing."
"Mom...you've got the iPod on pause."
"Oh..."
"Why isn't it working...?"
A half hour later.
"I did re-read the directions," said Mom.
"Well, you didn't read them very well. It's still not working."
Bill Bonner
The Daily Reckoning Australia
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About the Author
Best-selling investment author Bill Bonner is the founder and president of Agora Publishing, one of the world's most successful consumer newsletter companies. Owner of both Fleet Street Publications and MoneyWeek magazine in the UK, he is also author of the free daily e-mail The Daily Reckoning.
Comment by karl on 24 April 2008:
Funny, Bill! I recently bought my partner an iPod for her birthday so she can listen to music during her daily workout - and she hasn't been game to use it yet. My partner is relatively computer illiterate, and it's sometimes a struggle just for her to use her mobile phone. (Sure, calls are no problem, but copying photos from it to her laptop using bluetooth so she can email them? Not a chance!). So unfortunately she's still waiting for me to find time to learn how to use the iPod myself so I can teach her. (it doesn't help that we live and work in separate cities at the moment) And you are correct, the manuals are of no help.
Comment by christina on 24 April 2008:
You're so right Mr Editor. Hahaha, you're funny, because what you said is exactly what happens. I bought an ipod and I felt like hiring an engineer to show me how to work it. Or maybe a computer progrmmer. And then my 8 year old cousin came over and did it for me. That's funny!
Comment by christina on 24 April 2008:
Ps- kids these days are so techno savvy, it's scary!
Comment by mike on 27 April 2008:
...iPod...i woke up next to the radio tuned to a talk show and realized that the dream i had had,followed the plot of the show...so i turned down the volume to zero....but the next night i woke up dreaming about the plot of the show even still...so i turned off the radio...but the next night i woke up after a strange dream ...curiously, i turned "on" the radio...turned up the volume from zero...and presto...the plot of the dream....so i unplugged the radio and had no more "genius loci" experiences......some people even cut down old trees for the same reason...they wish to dominate a locality...so they "unplug" dissenting views, opinions....news...etc......
Comment by mike on 27 April 2008:
...why not "unplug" the currency of a region just for the reason of dominating it...release money from the integrity of "genius loci" that's gold and silver and presto...."give me the credit of a nation..and i care not who rules" etc...hmmm...who said that that...why do monarchs or dignitaries whose figures appear on paper money look us in the eye..instead of the customary "profile shot"...do they have some extra convincing to do..are they trying to appear more sincere..