NEXT STEP TO ELIMINATING THE HUMAN TOUCH?

NOTE TO SELF: another move to replace people?


Perhaps as many people do, you might have complained about the long wait at the supermarket to pay the cashier. Then again there's always the do-it-yourself scanning system that in theory but not necessarily in practice, makes the check-out faster. Yet another move afoot or at hand in this case has been created to improve on the self checkout system with the use of a high-tech hand-held personal scanner.

Just what we need in life: another "tool" to schlep along while shopping.

The way it works is shoppers remove an item off the shelf, scan it and bag it all on their own without any human intervention. Although more commonly used in Europe, North American supermarkets are beginning to introduce it slowly to consumers. Once they finished shopping customers head to the front of the store and have their credit cards scanned.

So how about customers who try to "forget" about paying for an item?

To avoid this occurence some shoppers are randomly picked for audits - as a reminder of course for those "oh my - who me?" occasions.

There is no information provided as to whether stores using this "service" make items available at a lower cost since customers do all the work. But then don't we always?

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/06/21/scan.as.you.shop.ap/index.html?eref=yahoo


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POOR OLD PLUTO (THE PLANET) - DEMOTED AGAIN!

NOTE TO MYSELF: Sometimes you just don't get no respect

Once upon a time there was a planet named Pluto, who had some respect among eight other orbiting planets. It was considered a planet with some clout. However, as experts are known to do, last year some astronmers who are part of the International Astronomical Union that have power to make important decisions, resolved to strip Pluto of its planetary status at a meeting to debate the origin of the cosmos.

This is important stuff in the grand scheme of things.

When all the talk ended poor Pluto (the planet) was re-classified as a dwarf planet due to the discovery of Eris, a similar body created of rock and ice. In spite of this new reality Pluto was still considered the heftiest solar system object found beyond Neptune. In other words it was bad news but not that bad. At least that was the assumption until yet another recent discovery.

Now comes the news that weighing in at 16.6 billion trillion kilograms, heavenly body Eris is 27% more massive than Pluto. Eris, which has a small moon, has a diameter of 2400 kilometres, which is slightly larger than Pluto's 2270 kilometres. So now Pluto has received yet another blow to the relevance of its existence and importance among planets.

One wonders how this will affect horoscopes if at all. For example if a formerly important planet is demoted and its importance diminished, what would be the end result? In checking out this possibility, one particular horoscope had this to say about the subject:

"The presence and direction of Pluto's energy are never obvious until it is used. Pluto's influence in any sign is interpreted as generational or historical. In your personal life, Pluto's significance is interpreted from its house position and the aspects it makes to other natal planets in your horoscope. Pluto rules intense energy, and describes the areas in which you consciously or subconsciously seek to exercise power or control. Pluto is also linked to your karmic responsibility."

Another question worth pondering or at least thinking about, is will the Disney people now change the name of the 'toon dog, Pluto, to Eris?

Will things ever be the same again in the universe?


http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1391

http://www.a2mediagroup.com/print.php?a=16025


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