1. You have some very close friends, but you’re the only one who doesn’t have an iPhone.

2. You called the manufacturer for assistance because you attempted to enter a password on your new kitchen cooktop and got an error message and your call was routed to India.

3. Your idea of clutter management is making sure everything you don’t use often is in the closet in your office. Getting rid of any of it would assure a need for it tomorrow.

4. A couple that you’ve been friends with for years is coming for a visit and they email you to ask if there will be “guest robes” in their room.

5. You have computer chats weekly with old high school friends, but you haven’t had an actual conversation with most of your neighbors in months.

6. Your mother-in-law sends you an email with a photo of her skydiving.

7. Most of your high school classmates have personal websites along with Twitter, Facebook and LinKedIn accounts and do all of their banking/bill paying online—you don’t do any of these things.

8. Leaving for vacation without your cell phone and discovering this glitch 50 miles away is a valid reason for returning to get it.

9. The new computer you got for Christmas is already out of date and is on sale for a fraction of what you paid for it at almost every electronics store in town.

10. Using cash instead of a credit or debit card to make a purchase would be a hassle and take significant prior planning.

11. You have a new 3G TV that only receives the only two 3D channels, but have to wear those dumb looking, multi-colored glasses to enjoy the viewing experience.

12. You’re planning an airline flight and notice the additional fees amount to about 30% of the total cost of the fare. There are also additional fees added to the hotel bill such as a “bed tax” in some states. What if you opt to sleep on the sofa, will they waive this fee?

*Happy New Year from the Mayans!

I found a palm reader today (online/website) that has done palm readings for quite a number of presidents.

His website has links to legit articles in various publications recounting his meetings/readings for them (i.e. Time Magazine).                                                                                     But the kicker is a link on his website offering palm readings BY PHONE! How the heck do you do that?! Isn’t that comparable to doing acupuncture by phone?
He also published a book that really doesn’t help bolster his credibility: The Idiot’s Guide to Palmistry.

I’ve gotta call this guy just to see if I can get him explain how it works.
I think I’ll wear gloves when I’m holding the phone just to mess with him…

Oh good, we’re apparently on the way toward another privacy intrusion–data tracking shopping carts.

The next generation of shopping carts are designed to not only be ergonomically engineered, whatever that may mean, but also provide an interactive shopping experience by offering audible, personalized shopping suggestions while in the store and pushing the cart. These high-tech “item carriers” are equipped with internal computers, GPS systems, and some yet to be described digital devices stealthy built into the design.

These rolling computers can perform some data gathering functions that give retailers insight into the shopping habits of their customers such as:

1) tracking the actual speed/elapsed time in the store of an individual shopper

2) constantly calculating the duration of time it takes for a shopper to make a selection

3) tracking a shopper’s actual route in the store

4) evaluating the specific order in which a shopper places items in the cart

5) giving the shopper an option for swiping his or her store loyalty card on the cart’s handle scanner to receive instant, in-store, customized discounts–along with recording shopping data used for creating a personal profile

In effect, these high-tech shopping carts are going to:

1) allow store designers and layout personnel to place customer preferred inventory at the easiest to access locations based on constantly gathered, analyzed and acted upon consumer shopping data

2) provide retailers with an adjunct source of revenue–selling customers’ shopping information to other retailers and whomever might be willing to pay for it

3) target specific advertisements using timely shopping profiles and constantly tweaked shopping cart data

Of course, privacy issues should be addressed prior to these carts arriving in the stores, but there’s no guarantee about this aspect of the new technology. The data-devouring carts could be perceived as a convenience by shopper and retailers, or just the opposite could occur if the scenario prompts concern regarding the use of customers’ data. Either way, the personal privacy issue must be addressed and effectively handled. Otherwise, these high-tech data grabbers may not be around too long. Then again, the current generation of some cell phones has already begun to track every move of the owner/user.

Initially, I could have some fun with one of these data tracking carts. I’d load it with a bunch of items that are basically contradictory. For example, I would place 150 rolls of toilet paper in the cart along with a case of peanut butter and a 10 lb block of cheddar cheese. And then I’d add a few bags of prunes and some over the counter constipation medication found in the pharmacy section. That way the onboard computer wouldn’t know for sure if I had diarrhea or was already backed up.

Finally, there’s a potential technological marvel that I can use for fun without being concerned about whether or not it freezes up. And in my case, odds are it will…