A technology-induced tantrum

For reasons I doubt I'll ever begin to comprehend, my desktop iMac ate its iTunes library and then proceeded to delete all the missing songs from my iPhone when I connected the phone to synch calendars. As we write this posting, we're trying, in the background, to copy the library from our MacBook Pro laptop to our iMac. Fortunately, we also have all the original CD versions of the albums, that we refuse to synch over iCloud. Those familiar with Frontier's quality internet service might understand why. So, if need be, we can reload all 1400 or so songs all over again. Meanwhile, the computer to computer transfer is taking longer than we anticipated and if this posting is abruptly terminated, you can guess why. Maybe it's time to read up on Linux for old folks or forget it all and become a contemporary Luddite? That would certainly help simplify and declutter our lives.

We liked it much better when out vehicle had a CD player (try to find one these days in a new vehicle with true 4WD). Now, in addition to the distracted driving of texting and onboard navigation, we have lots of touchscreen functions that require us to take our eyes off the road.

the latest loaf of artisan sourdough

Photo by J. Harrington

Technology hasn't been the only source of irritation today. We've been sorting out some potential book-keeping issues with one of the service providers we work with. Then there's the whole new Pharmacy Benefits Manager occupations that has just required us to go back to the technology they mandated we stop using a year ago. Are we the only ones that remember the old saying about "too many cooks...?"

notice the open crumb (holes)

Photo by J. Harrington

A bright spot is that our recent artisan sourdough bread effort turned out well. It's a little more complicated than we're used to, but we think it may be worth the extra effort (unlike almost anything having to do with technology which seems to increase in complexity at a geometric rate and in functionality at an arithmetic rate). Meanwhile, the nonproductive persons in the federal government get paid while those doing the actual essential work go unpaid. We suspect if it weren't the damn wall it would be something else. Unfortunately, despite our own bitchin' and moanin', there are too many other people these days facing real problems (ours are mostly major irritations) and too many politicians aren't sufficiently dedicated to fixing those problems. What kind of morale issues do you suspect the federal workforce will be experiencing over the next few years? If the problem were just our political system, then we could look to Britain's parliamentary approach. Look how well that's handling the Brexit issue. Then again, the whole world is really on top of the solutions to climate change, right?

Questionnaire

By Charles Bernstein

Directions:For each pair of sentences, circle the letter, a or b, that best

expresses your viewpoint. Make a selection from each pair. Do not omit

any items.

1.a) The body and the material things of the world are the key to any   

       knowledge we can possess.

   b) Knowledge is only possible by means of the mind or psyche.

2.a) My life is largely controlled by luck and chance.

   b) I can determine the basic course of my life.

3.a) Nature is indifferent to human needs.

   b) Nature has some purpose, even if obscure.

4.a) I can understand the world to a sufficient extent.

   b) The world is basically baffling.

5.a) Love is the greatest happiness.

   b) Love is illusionary and its pleasures transient.

6.a) Political and social action can improve the state of the world.

   b) Political and social action are fundamentally futile.

7.a) I cannot fully express my most private feelings.

   b) I have no feelings I cannot fully express.

8.a) Virtue is its own reward.

   b) Virtue is not a matter of rewards.

9.a) It is possible to tell if someone is trustworthy.

   b) People turn on you in unpredictable ways.

10.a) Ideally, it would be most desirable to live in a rural area.

    b) Ideally, it would be most desirable to live in an urban area.

11.a) Economic and social inequality is the greatest social evil.

    b) Totalitarianism is the greatest social evil.

12.a) Overall, technology has been beneficial to human beings.

    b) Overall, technology has been harmful to human beings.

13.a) Work is the potential source of the greatest human fulfillment.

    b) Liberation from work should be the goal of any movement for   

       social improvement.

14.a) Art is at heart political in that it can change our perception of   

       reality.

    b) Art is at heart not political because it can change only

       consciousness and not events.

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