Throwback Tech Gone Horribly Wrong
Frankly, I can’t believe that the world didn’t see a plunge in the rate of heart attacks when digital alarm clocks were invented. We were out shopping a couple of weeks ago, and I found this cool little old-school wind-up alarm clock. It reminded me of my Grandpa Casey, so I bought it. I do think it’s a cool clock, particularly that this thing will run and run with just a few turns of a little key on the back. I know, it’s technology that we’ve had for hundreds of years…get over it. But think about how rare it actually is to have something that a designer didn’t at some point say, “Eh, just chuck a AA into the back. It’s no big deal.” Anyway, things were looking pretty good until the first morning I tried to actually use the alarm on said clock. I can’t imagine that the sound of someone setting off a bomb under my bedside table would get my heart racing more. 99% of the time, it just ticks along with this very comforting, rhythmic ...
Posted on March 4, 2008 10:54:34 PM EST
#
When Globalism Hits Home
Do you ever think about where your money goes after you buy something? In a sort of classical scenario, your dollar ripples out through the community and actually has an amplified benefit on its health. I’m not sure I could explain the economic theory behind it, but it’s known as an economic multiplier. This dollar gets divided between profit, employee benefits and payroll, raw materials (or wholesale goods purchases), building maintenance, advertising, accounting, taxes, and so on. Every business providing a service or good that enables your purchase at that store takes a small cut, and your dollar helps to support many families and businesses in the process. When these people and businesses pay taxes, they in turn support police and fire departments, upkeep of city infrastructure like roads and power lines, hospitals, schools, and much more. The economic multiplier effect makes it possible for a community to be relatively stable and thrive, and it depends solely on the recirculation of money ...
Posted on March 4, 2008 10:41:50 PM EST
#