Monday, April 27, 2009
Two things on social networking.
In Zurich, a woman who works for a Swiss insurance company was fired recently. She called in sick and said she couldn't work at her computer. She needed to be in a dark room and rest. When it was seen that her Facebook was being used and updated, her employer said they lost all trust in her. She countered that she was using her iPhone in bed, and that her employer was spying on her. (She is still fired.)
Next, how young can you tweet on Twitter? Do you think a baby, in the womb, could tweet? Here is a video of one man who didn't want to miss any kicks his unborn baby was going to make. He rigged a wireless device that signals Twitter when there is a real kick. Personally, this may be more of an exercise in technology than a way to communicate with the baby, IMHO. Reuters has the video.
In Zurich, a woman who works for a Swiss insurance company was fired recently. She called in sick and said she couldn't work at her computer. She needed to be in a dark room and rest. When it was seen that her Facebook was being used and updated, her employer said they lost all trust in her. She countered that she was using her iPhone in bed, and that her employer was spying on her. (She is still fired.)
Next, how young can you tweet on Twitter? Do you think a baby, in the womb, could tweet? Here is a video of one man who didn't want to miss any kicks his unborn baby was going to make. He rigged a wireless device that signals Twitter when there is a real kick. Personally, this may be more of an exercise in technology than a way to communicate with the baby, IMHO. Reuters has the video.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Don't Text and Drive
Near Seattle, WA, Federal Way Police Chief, Brian Wilson was involved in a traffic accident. He rear-ended another car. The reason this is news worthy is because he was using his cell phone to check email at the time. It is illegal in his state to send, read, or write messages while driving. He was stopped at a red light, thought traffic was beginning to move and he took his foot off the brake and accelerated slowly. There were no injuries or damage, but it was still illegal. Well, law enforcement personnel are exempt from this law because they use these means to communicate for work. By his own admission though, this was not work related. But it drives home the point that this is an unsafe practice. (Pun intended.)
Many severe traffic accidents are attributed to cell phone use while driving. This can range from the distracted driver going to fast and not being attentive to the most important task at hand - driving, to the one who slows down thinking that is safer, while aggravated drivers line up behind them. They're still not focused on operating their car and driving to slow is a cause of accidents too. It is also a contributor to road rage which can lead to even more problems.
The Governors Highway Safety Association has a table, by state, of those with cell phone and text messaging restrictions. (Maryland just passed a new law on this.)
Additional restrictions may apply to your area. In my area, Fort Hood, which is federal property, prohibits the use of a cell without it being hands free.
Bankers are always trying to multi-task and more and more is demanded of them. Does your bank have a policy on cell phone use while driving?
Near Seattle, WA, Federal Way Police Chief, Brian Wilson was involved in a traffic accident. He rear-ended another car. The reason this is news worthy is because he was using his cell phone to check email at the time. It is illegal in his state to send, read, or write messages while driving. He was stopped at a red light, thought traffic was beginning to move and he took his foot off the brake and accelerated slowly. There were no injuries or damage, but it was still illegal. Well, law enforcement personnel are exempt from this law because they use these means to communicate for work. By his own admission though, this was not work related. But it drives home the point that this is an unsafe practice. (Pun intended.)
Many severe traffic accidents are attributed to cell phone use while driving. This can range from the distracted driver going to fast and not being attentive to the most important task at hand - driving, to the one who slows down thinking that is safer, while aggravated drivers line up behind them. They're still not focused on operating their car and driving to slow is a cause of accidents too. It is also a contributor to road rage which can lead to even more problems.
The Governors Highway Safety Association has a table, by state, of those with cell phone and text messaging restrictions. (Maryland just passed a new law on this.)
Additional restrictions may apply to your area. In my area, Fort Hood, which is federal property, prohibits the use of a cell without it being hands free.
Bankers are always trying to multi-task and more and more is demanded of them. Does your bank have a policy on cell phone use while driving?
