Archive for November, 2009

You have to be old enough to remember Abbot & Costello and too old to REALLY understand computers to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, this is for us. If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their most famous sketch “Who’s on First?” might have turned out something like this. Costello calls to buy a computer from Abbott.

Abbott: Super Duper computer store … Can I help you?

Costello: Thanks. I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.

Abbott: Mac?

Costello: No. My name is Lou.

Abbott: Your computer?

Costello: I don’t have a computer. I want to buy one.

Abbott: Mac?

Costello: I told you, my name’s Lou.

Abbott: What about Windows?

Costello: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

Abbott: Do you want a computer with Windows?

Costello: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at Windows?

Abbott: Wallpaper.

Costello: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

Abbott: Software for Windows?

Costello: No. On the computer. I need something to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

Abbott: Office.

Costello: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

Abbott: I just did.

Costello: You just did what?

Abbott: Recommended something.

Costello: You recommended something?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: For my office?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

Abbott: Office.

Costello: Yes. For my office.

Abbott: I recommend Office with Windows.

Costello: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

Abbott: Word.

Costello: What word?

Abbott: Word in Office.

Costello: The only word in office is office.

Abbott: The Word in Office for Windows.

Costello: Which word in office for wondows?

Abbott: The Word you get when you click the blue “W”.

Costello: I’m going to click your blue “w” if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? Do you have something I can track my money with?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: That’s right. What do you have?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: I need money to track my money?

Abbott: It comes bundled with your computer.

Costello: What’s bundled with my computer?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: Money comes with my computer?

Abbott:  Yes. No extra charge.

Costello: I get a bundle of money with my computer?

Abbott: One copy.

Costello: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?

Abbott: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.

Costello: They can give you a license to copy money?

Abbott: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

Abbott: Super Duper computer store.

Costello: How do I turn my computer off?

Abbott: Click on “Start” ……..

We tend to think of science fiction devices like brain implants as flights of impossible fantasy but today there is considerable research going on and many such devices are being put into human and animal subjects to monitor brain activity and cure or lessen disease symptons in people with certain brain-affecting diseases.

Brain implants, or neural implants are technological devices that connect directly to a biological (humanor animal) subject’s brain. Usually placed on the surface of the brain, or attached to the cortex at the top of the head, modern brain implants focus research by circumventing areas in the brain, which became dysfunctional after a stroke or other head injury. Sometimes the focus may be on certain diseases which affect the brain functions like Parkinson’s or Epilepsy. Some brain implants even involve creating interfaces between neural systems and computer chips. That’s right, this is happening in modern day medicine and is gradually becoming more common.

Neural-implants such as deep brain stimulation and Vagus nerve stimulation are being used to treat Parkinson’s disease and clinical depression.respectively, proving themselves a boon for people with diseases which were previously regarded as incurable.

Since 1997 Brain pacmakers have been used to ease symptons of epilepsy. Today’s implants are made from tungsten, silicon, platinum-iridium or even stainless steel. Future brain implants will likely use nanoscale materials like carbon fibres (nanotubes) and polycarbonate urethane. If you’d like to know more about nanotubes, some of the very cutting edge research is being done at the University of  Guelph. Professor Amar Mohanty is specifically doing research on nanotubes themselves in all applications, not just brain implants.

As early as 1638 in Discouse on the Method, a study on proving self existence, Rene Descartes wrote that a person would not know if an evil demon had trapped his mind in a black box and was controlling all inputs and outputs. Philosopher Hilary Putnam provided a modern argument in his 1989 discussion of a brain in a vat, where he argues that brains directly fed with an input from a computer would not know the deception from reality.

Ethical concerns exist with some behavioural side effects. Reports in study literature describe the possibility of apathy, hallucinations, compulsive gambling, hypersexuality, cognitive dysfunction, and depression. However, these may be temporary and related to correct placement and calibration of the stimulator and so are potentially reversible.

Some trans-humanists, see brain implants as part of a next step for humans in the progress of evolution, whereas others, especially bio-conservatives, view them as unnatural and mean losing our essential human qualities.Human enhancement, argues that implants would technically change people into cybernetic organisms or Cyborgs. Some people fear implants may be used for mind control to change our human perceptions of reality as in the Matrix series of movies.

Feared or welcomed, they are part of our future and we must all carefully consider what rules and ethical standards must be met in using such machines to alter our permanent selves.

W.O.R.K.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically.

You should immediately forward this medical alert to five friends.  If you do not have five friends, you have already been infected and WORK is, sadly, controlling your life.  Get help immediately.

Of course, the above is a bit tongue in cheek but maybe it will get you to think about what the real goal in life is for you and why you are plodding along doing what someone else thought you should do. Or maybe you settled for the first boss who came along and said they’d give you money for doing what they wanted done.

I encourage you to sit down and think about this when you’ve finished reading this article. I hope you’ll take the time to send me a few comments on what you decide.

Why do we work? Is it because we think it’s expected of us? Or perhaps because we can’t think of anything more creative to do with our time? We say we envy people who left home and traveled around the world. I just wonder why we never did it for ourselves.

Of course, we all need to find a way to eat, have clothes and all the toys of civilization. In today’s society we need money to have the necessities, but how much do we really need and does it matter how we get it?

No, I’m not suggesting that we go rob banks or create new schemes to part other folks from their money illegally. I’m suggesting that we have our goals ready and articulated. Is your goal to create enough capital to live comfortably without working? Really? The most successful ad campaign in Canada is probably Freedom 55 from London Life. It was so successful that they changed their name and created a whole new enterprise called Freedom 55. I challenge you, if you accomplish that and have a life expectancy into your eighty’s or longer what are you going to do? Not watch re-runs on TV, knit sweaters, or play golf every day (think February). If you intend to spend your time traveling and living in a warm climate, why did you work so hard to pay off your mortgage on a house you will have to maintain even when you are not living in it? Or sell to finance your lifestyle? Better yet, why didn’t you move to the warm climate before then? Could it be that’s not your real goal?

I contend that Freedom 55 really means that now we can go out and do what we have always wanted to do and have a regular income behind us while we do it, just in case. So, my question to you is why didn’t you start out doing that? Why did you wait until you were older?

Is now the right time to change things so that you do the things you know should be done and make the changes that will make your life happier and more fulfilled? Are you letting other people set your goals for you?

My challenge to you:

1. What’s your current reality? – swamped, overwhelmed and confused

2. What is your Richly Imagined Future?

3. How are you going to distribute (leave behind) your worldly goods?

4. What Choices are there waiting for you?

This is a summary of a presentation done by Robert Gignac who is a Canadian who speaks across the country to financial advisors and lives in Misissauga and Switzerland. Pretty neat, eh? He is a very witty and right on sort of person who speaks and writes from the point of view of a client regarding financial advisors and their habits. I thought that you might enjoy his comments. Please read through to the end and you will be rewarded for the effort

Every client carries around a retirement clock in his/her head which tells them when they want to retire and what they want it to look like for them. Have you shared that with your advisor and has the advisor come back each year to check how it’s coming along? The truth of the matter is that most Canadians are serially dating advisors – a new one every 4-5 years – usually following a recession to “give a new guy a try”. If they choose wrongly in the new advisor they could lose all or most of the money gained since the last advisor took over to fees and charges to move their money.

How can an advisor gain your trust? We try to ask the right questions but often find that clients forget about some things or don’t tell the whole story. Like the parent who expects his children to act as Executor to their will and estate but refuses to talk about money with them. How can you expect us to do a good job of executing someones wishes if they won’t tell us what they are and what resources are in place now or what resources there will be in the future? If you speak about things it doesn’t mean they will be stolen from you.

I saw a really good picture of trust. It showed a man lying on the ground with a golf tee in his mouth and a golf ball on top. In the background there is a person swinging a club. A financial advisor will do something similar for you by creating a financial plan and coming back to see you again to ensure it’s working. We’d really like to make sure that the plan is still going where it should be and are willing to make any changes that may be needed to correct it.

The financial industry has not always done itself any favours either. We have BNN, Business Network News going on all day every day with little important changes in the markets. The figures dealt with are in one thousandths of a penny increments. That means that there can be a thousand reports throughout the day and things have only changed by one cent. This stuff comes from the media geniuses who had to change their name from Report On Business. The acronym for that was ROB TV. How’s that for building trust and confidence in your industry.? But then, it’s the same with CNN – the Crisis News Network. A new crisis every few hours to keep you riveted to the boob tube.

So let’s reflect a bit about what is Rich? What does that really mean? Is it only for money or that money will buy happiness? Any adult knows that’s not likely. But we all know, or should, that some day we will get too old to go out and earn a living. So, unless you’re living a lifestyle which ensures that you will die before that, you probably should be putting a bit of money aside – not to be touched – until that time.

Do you know what the 8^th wonder of the world is? It is compound earned interest. In other words, you need to leave the money alone long enough to let it grow.

Have you heard of the Rule of 72? It’s an investment rule which says that if you take the interest rate you are earning and divide it into 72, the answer is the number of years it will take to double your investment. For example, give me $100 today and I can invest it for you at about 5% reasonably safely and I can tell you that in 14.4 years you will have $200. How many 14 years time spans have you got left before you will need to live on that money? It is always Time in the Market not Timing the Market.

But that’s only part of the story. If you invest $10,000 in the market for four years and earn +10% the first year, -10% in the second year, +10% in the third year and -10% in the last year would you have more or less money than when you began? Submit your answer to sue@suesviews.ca with “quiz” in the subject line for a chance to win one of 5 books called Rich is a State of Mind.

Next week’s article is on Why do we work?

Since it’s less than two months to Christmas (also known as the big grab). I’m bringing you a little list of the things which are the coolest gizmos out there. Warning! Some of these may be just a little out of your league but if you need to prove that you care …. what the heck,eh?  Believe me, none of these are fake. I found them all out there on the internet.

Ebooks The New Way to Read: Ultimately, these hand-held ebook readers are going to put a lot of book bags into early retirement. The PRS-600 Sony Reader Edition is already making life a lot easier for avid readers on the go by enabling them to turn on and tune in on a moment’s notice. Reading on a train, in a plane, from a car, or at break time has never been easier. Starting at $259.99 this is a wonderful gift for the readers in your life.

Luxury Cell Phones: Christian Dior announces the release of the second generation of their luxury phone line for December 2009, just in time for the holidays. Dior’s debut line came out last year andthey have become a rage amongst affluent and classy buyers. The new line offers additional models that are gold plated and black PVD coated with encrusted sapphire crystals, running $6,500.00.  There are also two models that are encrusted with diamonds- the Zelie with a red casing and the Zenaide in white. The two models cost $7,900.00 and $13,400.00 respectively. Both are available by special order only.

You knew it had to happen! Talk about keeping ahead of the Joneses.

Even More Luxurious Cell Phones: The latest offering of Amosu’s luxury cell phone customizations claims to be the world’s most expensive blackberry, running at $200,366 USD. For technology that will likely be dated within a few years at best, this diamond encrusted Blackberry has been crafted for the extremely wealthy alone. However, the 4,459 brilliant cut diamonds totalling 28.42 carats could surely be transferred to a newer blackberry, one might hope! Perhaps they could melt off the 18-carat gold plating while they’re at it!

Music for Everyone: Try  The Beamz ($199.95) – a true must-have for anyone who likes to entertain with great music and get everyone involved in the fun. The Beamz is a digital musical instrument innovation like none other, and experience or expertise need not apply. Using cutting-edge laser beam technology produced and manipulated with a sleek, futuristic console, The Beamz lets anyone – and I do mean anyone – make beautiful music, without having to read traditional sheet music! Users simply move their hand – or any other body part – through one or more of the instrument’s six laser beams and, in return, The Beamz delivers different musical sounds and notes that are always on key. Adding to the excitement are the unique sounds users can create that cannot be produced from a “regular” musical instrument – from jungle animals to thunderstorms.
Software and music installation is surprisingly easy, allowing users to get set up and running in just a few minutes. The lightweight, portable W-shaped console connects through a USB port to your PC (with Vista or XP 32-bit operating system), which then serves as The Beamz motion-activated PC-based software controller and sound system. Use The Beamz with a laptop and the unit can be easily transported from space-to-space, either indoors or out. For you Mac lovers, a compatible version is expected to launch in 2010.
Once connected, users can start making music immediately. While The Beamz comes with an array of bundled tunes, users may visit the company’s Web site to buy and download additional songs or even record their very own original songs made with The Beamz. Users can actually save their original compositions as a Wave file or Windows Media file and share them with others online or via portable devices that support these file formats. The Beamz is a wonderful gift for all ages and skill levels – from kids and adults interested in learning how to play a musical instrument, to professional musicians, DJs, and music educators, to gamers who love to play Guitar Hero or Rock Band, to amateurs and enthusiasts like myself who love gadgets and like to spice up an event or an evening at home with the kids.

Wrap 920 Video Glasses:  At first glance, the Wrap 920 video eyeglasses by Vuzix looks like a pair of ordinary sunglasses. It’s the second look that shows just how wrong a first impression can be. Imagine wearing a pair of sunglasses that you could view a video or surf the ‘Net through its lenses-while walking and talking at the same time. And it’s not just a mini-screen picture, either. The screen, as seen through these glasses, is comparable to viewing a 60-inch screen from a nine-foot distance. Fashion and technology have never looked so good together!
The Wrap 920, with its see-through lens, is the latest leap forward in quantum-optics technology, providing wearers with a 30-degree field of view. The glasses weigh less than three ounces and have removable noise-cancelling earphones. Prescription lenses are available, and the unit operates for six hours on two AA batteries. It works on an iPod® and an iPhone as well as on DVD players, media players, digital cameras, camcorders, cellular phones with video out, video game systems, and PCs or laptops with S-video. It also connects to all NTSC or PAL audio/video devices with video-out capabilities.

KEELOGGER CLASSIC PS/2: $79.95

This tiny PS/2 hardware keystroke recorder is among the smallest available on the market. It features all the functions of a hardware key logger, packed into acasing only 1½ inches long. Powerful Retrieve & Analyze software combined with a very low price have made this device one of our best selling products.

Versions : 64 KB = 65,000 keystrokes; 128 KB = 130,000 keystrokes; 256 KB = 260,000 keystrokes

Features :
- Ultra compact and discrete, only 1.6″ (41 mm) long
- Plug & play install, no drivers required
- Invisible to computer operation, undetectable for security scanners
- No drivers required, Windows & Linux compatible
- Quick and easy national layout support
- Retrieve & Analyze software provided.

Applications :
- Observe WWW, E-mail & chat usage by children and employees
- Monitor employee productivity
- Protect your child from on-line hazards and predators
- Save a copy of typed text
- …and several more, see keystroke recorder benefits

Automatic Vehicule Locator: $699.99 If you are concerned about theft here’s your answer.

Origami Sticky Notes: $3.99 Turn your old notes into 3-D paper models. Origami is a Japanese art which is practiced to create a representation of an object using paper folding and crease patterns typically without using glue or cutting the paper. Now you can practice origami in the office and make use of all the old sticky notes you have plastered to your desk. These Origami Sticky Notes provide something fun for those dull moments at the office. You can now re-cycle your old sticky notes and turn them in to paper 3-D models. Each pad has printed instructions on each sheet for 10 different origami shapes. From UK-based design company Suck UK.

“Wine? I don’t drink wine.”

Whether you are a real vampire, a robot vampire, a werewolf (with a taste for human blood), a vampire werewolf, a robot vampire werewolf, or some silly creature that sparkles in the sunlight, one thing is certain: you need blood to survive. And not like regular humans who need blood inside their circulatory system; you need blood inside your stomach. Hey, everyone is different – who are we to judge? We’re just glad the mad scientists who brought you Mana and Health Energy Potions have turned their sick sights on providing an energy drink for those of us who need to drink blood to stay happy. They created the Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion. Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion is the same colour and consistency of real blood. It has many of the same nutrients of the rubicund liquid we love to consume (iron, protein, electrolytes, and caffeine) and has a delectable fruit punch flavor. Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion is great for the undead who need a little pick me up, without wanting to give away their “condition”. And it comes in resealable, transfusion-style pouches to remind us of the real substance we all lust for (and for fun). Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion – drinking blood isn’t just for the undead anymore! Only $3.99

The Germ Eliminating Knife Block: Was $89.95 Now $29/95

This knife block uses safe UV-C light–the same technology used in hospitals to kill surface bacteria on instruments–to eliminate 99.99% of food bacteria and viruses from cutlery in 20 seconds. The ultraviolet bulb sanitizes knives up to 8 3/4″ long from tip to bolster, killing pathogens like salmonella, listeria, and staphylococcus to help prevent cross contamination and food-borne illness. Simply rinse the knives and place them in the block; the heat from the bulb dries knives as they are sterilized. The device can be set to turn on automatically every three hours or you can set the block to sanitize knives as soon as they are inserted. The durable ABS plastic block has five slots to accommodate chef’s, serrated, boning, and pairing knives, and a wide opening that holds kitchen shears or a honing steel. Plugs into AC. 9 1/2″ x 10 1/4″ W x 6″ D. (2 lbs.)

Star Trek Onesies: $15.99

Start Them Off Right. No matter what your little one’s proclivities, there’s a snap-suit for your future space traveller. Projectile vomits unidentifiable substances? Science. Figured out how to jury-rig the high chair to obtain Cheerios at will? Engineering. Has fully trained the adults in the house to do his or her bidding? Command. If the future isn’t yet clear, pick up the Academy Cadet. Snap bottom closure for easy diaper access.

Well there’s some samples of what your loved ones are missing and need to have. Although the music laser machine sounds really fun.