Crosswords0 min ago
Boys and their toys
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Why is it that boys, no matter how old they are, always seem to want toys and gadgets? We have a house full of sports equipment, including scuba gear, giant kites (in assorted sizes), surf boards (in assorted shapes and sizes), rugby equipment, gym equipment, bikes and golf clubs. And then we have MP3 players (whatever they are), iPods (whatever they are too), telescopes, cameras, several computers, several printers, several scanners, several phones, and the odd Blackberry, etc, etc. And now today my husband rang from the office to tell me he wants to buy Sat Nav. Why, in heaven's name, why? We've driven in countries all over the world and have managed perfectly well with a map and my navigational skills (yes, and we've always got there!), so why would he want Sat Nav in the UK? Is it just because it's a toy he hasn't got? Tell me, boys, because it's a mystery to me. :o)
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The sat-nav is the one that mystifies me. Victor Borge, you may remember, told us that he had an uncle who was a chemist and who invented a cure for which there was no disease.
It may be becausemy wife and I both love maps, and find reading them great fun, that I can't imagine what purpose a sat-nav serves. Reading a map means that you know where you're going and how you're going to get there. It also tells you what interestng things you may be passing near. I cannot imagine being the sort of robot who merely obeys a disembodied voice.
And did you read this morning of the latest ****-up - far worse than the experience of a celebrity reported recently who wanted to go to see Chelsea play and found, half-way up the AI(M) that the taxi was taking her to Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire...?
Today's story is of a truck driver who set off from Turkey to get to Gibraltar and found himself stuck in a narrow lane near Skegness, the idiot machine having been directing him all that time to an English nature resort called Gibraltar Point.
The fact that he didn't notice that the weather was getting colder rather than warmer, that at one point he was crossing the English Channel, that the road signs weren't in Spanish and that the traffic was driving on the left is, an indication of just how much you switch the brain off when relying blindly on such a gizmo.
I imagine that, as more and more people rely on these things, they will know less and less about the geography of the world and will have to rely on them more and more. How sad.
It may be becausemy wife and I both love maps, and find reading them great fun, that I can't imagine what purpose a sat-nav serves. Reading a map means that you know where you're going and how you're going to get there. It also tells you what interestng things you may be passing near. I cannot imagine being the sort of robot who merely obeys a disembodied voice.
And did you read this morning of the latest ****-up - far worse than the experience of a celebrity reported recently who wanted to go to see Chelsea play and found, half-way up the AI(M) that the taxi was taking her to Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire...?
Today's story is of a truck driver who set off from Turkey to get to Gibraltar and found himself stuck in a narrow lane near Skegness, the idiot machine having been directing him all that time to an English nature resort called Gibraltar Point.
The fact that he didn't notice that the weather was getting colder rather than warmer, that at one point he was crossing the English Channel, that the road signs weren't in Spanish and that the traffic was driving on the left is, an indication of just how much you switch the brain off when relying blindly on such a gizmo.
I imagine that, as more and more people rely on these things, they will know less and less about the geography of the world and will have to rely on them more and more. How sad.
I am in the middle lane as usual. I do like gadgets but not mad on any thing. I have electric tooth brush yes and that makes it easier for my wife to brush my teeth before sticking them in the glass. One thing so far I do not like and I do not think I would ever buy is Sat Nav. I like using my brain and my navigational abilities with a simple map.
My wife likes gadgets as well and on her every birthday I have to but her something new. Only few months ago on last birthday I bought her Henry Numatic.
http://www.henryvacs.co.uk/acatalog/Henry_Vacu um_Cleaner_HVR200-22_in_Red_.html?gclid=CKG5yp Xl1ZQCFRSO1Qodn3Xmkw
For next birthday I am planning to but her electric window cleaner�������� Am I saying a bit too much.
My wife likes gadgets as well and on her every birthday I have to but her something new. Only few months ago on last birthday I bought her Henry Numatic.
http://www.henryvacs.co.uk/acatalog/Henry_Vacu um_Cleaner_HVR200-22_in_Red_.html?gclid=CKG5yp Xl1ZQCFRSO1Qodn3Xmkw
For next birthday I am planning to but her electric window cleaner�������� Am I saying a bit too much.
There is a difference between driving for pleasure and for a reason.
A lot of the driving I am doing is to get to a customer's office. To be honest, all I need to do is to get there, see the customer and then go to my next appointment.
Yesterday, I went to a friends house for dinner. I could have spent 20 minutes checking my map, looking for alternative routes in case there were accidents and seeing if there was anywhere interesting on the way.
They live around 50 mins away. we left at 5.30 as soon as I finished work, and followed the Sat Nav to the address. We drove back at around 11pm, and all I needed to do was concentrate on driving, not having to look for road signs etc.
If I was retired or constantly had a passenger, then I may not use it, but to be honest it is so easy, that I don't see a problem with it.
Of course, with a lot of Sat Navs, you can also put in "Points of Interest" and other such items, so you can see other places.
Yes there will be idiots who don't know how to use them properly and go miles out of their way, but that is down more to their idiocy than a reliance on technology.
A lot of the driving I am doing is to get to a customer's office. To be honest, all I need to do is to get there, see the customer and then go to my next appointment.
Yesterday, I went to a friends house for dinner. I could have spent 20 minutes checking my map, looking for alternative routes in case there were accidents and seeing if there was anywhere interesting on the way.
They live around 50 mins away. we left at 5.30 as soon as I finished work, and followed the Sat Nav to the address. We drove back at around 11pm, and all I needed to do was concentrate on driving, not having to look for road signs etc.
If I was retired or constantly had a passenger, then I may not use it, but to be honest it is so easy, that I don't see a problem with it.
Of course, with a lot of Sat Navs, you can also put in "Points of Interest" and other such items, so you can see other places.
Yes there will be idiots who don't know how to use them properly and go miles out of their way, but that is down more to their idiocy than a reliance on technology.
Chakka, that's just how I feel about maps and Sat Nav. I like to look at the map and see exactly where we are. With a map I am able to choose a village off the motorway where we'll find a restaurant or a pub to have lunch (don't do motorway services - ever - well, at least not for food!), and we've often taken a detour because I've spotted something interesting on the map. With my map I can see exactly how far we have to go - and if there are problems ahead, the radio traffic reports let me know. I would hate to have some disembodied voice intruding on the journey, telling me to turn left, right, and that I have reached my destination. With my trusty map, I know that. Even if I'm doing a long journey alone, I don't want the company of that robot. I plan my route, write a list of the road numbers I need to take on a post-it, and stick it on the middle of my steering wheel. Where's the problem?
It's not a problem, if that works for you. Other people are too busy (or can't be bothered) to write out their route before every journey and prefer to be able to listen to a CD rather than keeping the radio on for traffic reports.
I'm not sure you can put the popularity of SatNavs down to boys getting turned on by gadgets. They are handy little fellas.
I'm not sure you can put the popularity of SatNavs down to boys getting turned on by gadgets. They are handy little fellas.
I have just received the order confirmation for my new space shuttle from NASA. It tells me where exactly I would see Aliens with two heads, two, noses and two ���. You guess that one yourself. It takes about 15 minutes from my home to THE MOON (my work place) including a break for some nicely cooked sun beam and mushroom curry for breakfast.
I may give my old one which I would not be using to Octavius�s chauffeur. After all we should look after each other.
I may give my old one which I would not be using to Octavius�s chauffeur. After all we should look after each other.
Naomi, I think you're right on the general principle that boys never grow out of wanting to play with toys.
The toys just become bigger, more expensive, more sophisticated. Cameras, computers, cars, guitars, DIY equipment, sometimes actual toys - model trainsets and airplanes, all the things mentioned above, we just like playing with stuff.
Girls on the other hand lose interest in objects for their own sake and become more interested in socially based play fairly early on - games of make believe, imaginary tea parties, doctor and nurse games etc.
It's just down to the different way we're wired. Vive le difference I say.
The toys just become bigger, more expensive, more sophisticated. Cameras, computers, cars, guitars, DIY equipment, sometimes actual toys - model trainsets and airplanes, all the things mentioned above, we just like playing with stuff.
Girls on the other hand lose interest in objects for their own sake and become more interested in socially based play fairly early on - games of make believe, imaginary tea parties, doctor and nurse games etc.
It's just down to the different way we're wired. Vive le difference I say.
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