Future computer will look like a TV.
1) It will not have any OS per say.
2) Switch it on - it starts off like a TV.
3) It will be connected to the net (just like a TV is connected to cable).
What will be the first screen?
Just a login screen which will open up your space on the web.
Why all these ideas?
Today's computer doesn't mean a lot without internet. We use email, communicate using IMs, pay bills online, follow news, shop online; we even watch movies/tv online. To extend to these things, we are able to write a document/presentation and store it online for easy access from anywhere. Don't forget the recent development of online storage - your music, movies, files, etc.
With everything linked to internet, we don't need gigabytes of space and a dedicated OS. All we need is something which can replace 'browser'. The hardware might look similar to a cute Mac with USB ports (to attach your external disk).
Just a thought.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Punishing kids
On "Fresh Air", a radio talk show, there was a discussion about punishing kids - the question was, "Do you punish your kids? If so, how?"
One said, "The easiest way to make a kid obey is to tell 'no cartoons for you' ." I can imagine kids without cartoons on tv. Another person mentioned that kids always love to eat desert than the main course of any meal. So, tell the kid, "No desert for you."
One said, "The easiest way to make a kid obey is to tell 'no cartoons for you' ." I can imagine kids without cartoons on tv. Another person mentioned that kids always love to eat desert than the main course of any meal. So, tell the kid, "No desert for you."
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Healthcare - Urgentcare
Facts have to be written out now. Many know them and there is no denial. Healthcare, especially Emergency care/Urgent care in the United States is worse compared to other countries around the globe. With lots of paperwork and procedures, Emergency Rooms (ER) are the places of waiting lounges similar to a bus or a train station.
Last week was my turn again to be the victim of such a system which doesn't seem to improve in the near future. An ER patient is treated like an outpatient with no urge for urgency. My wife and I drove to the ER by 10:00am Sunday morning because of my abdominal pain. By the time I finished the paperwork, it was 11:30am. Up to 1pm, we two were sitting waiting to be called in for the first look by the nurse. One of the worst rules of ER - "Do not eat or drink anything till the doctor sees you." This is all it takes to make a patient become impatient ;). From 10am to 2pm, the period when I felt like lying down, I never had a chance to do that. When I asked the nurse outside, she reluctantly told, "You need to wait for your turn. There is no place in here for you to lay down."
At last, I was taken in, put on a bed. Nurse came in and then vanished for the next 30 minutes. Slowly, more paperwork for my wife. My wife was new to all these procedures. With full dilemma and confusion, she learned a lot in utter silence (because I wasn't in a position to explain her every bit). In intervals, doctors kept coming in. By 3pm, ER physician had a look and ordered for a CT scan. By 5pm, scan was complete. By 6pm, one surgeon arrived looking at the scan and told, "You need a surgery tomorrow." I explained him more about the symptoms and suddenly, he went out to send one more doctor an hour later. It was 7pm or so when another physician came to tell me - "You have infection and no surgery is required. You need to stay here and we will monitor you to bring down the infection." That was the time when they decided to shift me out of ER to a ward.
For nearly 3 hours, there were no signs of shifting me out of ER. ER is a very "happening" place where every minute people keep roaming and patients keep rushing in and out. When I was still in the ER, more confusion among the nurses - One came with a big portable X-ray machine. "Are you Marie?" Seeing me, she felt, "oh no, it is not. I got the wrong sheet." After 2 mins, she got one more sheet, "Are you Nancy? oh no! I am looking for a female." She didn't appear after this ;).
By 10:30pm, I was finally in the ward to stay there for the next 40 hours or so. Till now, I was told not to eat or drink anything. I felt that, if I had eaten or had some fruit juice or something during those past 12 hours, I would have been in a better position with substantial energy in the body.
Whatever it is. The story compared to my previous ER experience and this one has something in common. Both times, I myself drove to ER and my brother drove me home out of the hospital :). Not to forget - Both ER visits made me wait for 12 hours! 12 hours is by no means a short waiting time!!! Totally ridiculous and unacceptable.
Last week was my turn again to be the victim of such a system which doesn't seem to improve in the near future. An ER patient is treated like an outpatient with no urge for urgency. My wife and I drove to the ER by 10:00am Sunday morning because of my abdominal pain. By the time I finished the paperwork, it was 11:30am. Up to 1pm, we two were sitting waiting to be called in for the first look by the nurse. One of the worst rules of ER - "Do not eat or drink anything till the doctor sees you." This is all it takes to make a patient become impatient ;). From 10am to 2pm, the period when I felt like lying down, I never had a chance to do that. When I asked the nurse outside, she reluctantly told, "You need to wait for your turn. There is no place in here for you to lay down."
At last, I was taken in, put on a bed. Nurse came in and then vanished for the next 30 minutes. Slowly, more paperwork for my wife. My wife was new to all these procedures. With full dilemma and confusion, she learned a lot in utter silence (because I wasn't in a position to explain her every bit). In intervals, doctors kept coming in. By 3pm, ER physician had a look and ordered for a CT scan. By 5pm, scan was complete. By 6pm, one surgeon arrived looking at the scan and told, "You need a surgery tomorrow." I explained him more about the symptoms and suddenly, he went out to send one more doctor an hour later. It was 7pm or so when another physician came to tell me - "You have infection and no surgery is required. You need to stay here and we will monitor you to bring down the infection." That was the time when they decided to shift me out of ER to a ward.
For nearly 3 hours, there were no signs of shifting me out of ER. ER is a very "happening" place where every minute people keep roaming and patients keep rushing in and out. When I was still in the ER, more confusion among the nurses - One came with a big portable X-ray machine. "Are you Marie?" Seeing me, she felt, "oh no, it is not. I got the wrong sheet." After 2 mins, she got one more sheet, "Are you Nancy? oh no! I am looking for a female." She didn't appear after this ;).
By 10:30pm, I was finally in the ward to stay there for the next 40 hours or so. Till now, I was told not to eat or drink anything. I felt that, if I had eaten or had some fruit juice or something during those past 12 hours, I would have been in a better position with substantial energy in the body.
Whatever it is. The story compared to my previous ER experience and this one has something in common. Both times, I myself drove to ER and my brother drove me home out of the hospital :). Not to forget - Both ER visits made me wait for 12 hours! 12 hours is by no means a short waiting time!!! Totally ridiculous and unacceptable.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Sleep and no sleep
It was so full of sleep for me last Sunday-Monday that rest of this week has been mostly with no sleep. Those two days, doctor kept me on pain killers and narcotic drugs to relieve me from pain/infection/inflammation. Later, he sent me home and put me on steroids. Now I know what it does to an athlete if he/she takes them - full of energy all day and night which is very hard to drain out.
I wouldn't recommend anyone to start any treatment on steroids. Just avoid it because of the effect it has on the body. If one starts taking it, its dosage has to be reduced gradually to avoid sudden fatigue and distress. Energy levels of the body will be high and if stopped at once will make the body wanting for it.
Now, I am feeling better. But, no sleep is not good.
I wouldn't recommend anyone to start any treatment on steroids. Just avoid it because of the effect it has on the body. If one starts taking it, its dosage has to be reduced gradually to avoid sudden fatigue and distress. Energy levels of the body will be high and if stopped at once will make the body wanting for it.
Now, I am feeling better. But, no sleep is not good.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Lush green algae
Picture (courtesy New York Times) - This is the venue for 2008 Olympics Canoe/Kayak events. People are working hard to remove the algae from the coastline and get it ready for the big Games. Read the article here
No Cell phone while driving
From today, California law does not allow use of cell phones while driving. Drivers must have a hands-free device to talk over phone. This is one of the multi-tasking the law looked into now. Not to forget, any task like "eating a burger", "doing make-up", "shaving", etc., which may obstruct the driver from driving normally may be considered an offense and is punishable with a citation/ticket.
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