Digital Dizziness

The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has some consumer stirred up. But not I. My understanding of technology is minuscule, to say the least. But in reading about some of the new products introduced at the show I am even more in a blur than before. Chalk it up to my stupidity if you want, but do you understand and know how to use the seemingly endless technology that is introduced, on what seems to be a weekly basis, these days? Practically all the electronics made today are digital, so they are built more like PC's than the old TV's we used to rely on. Computer ships allow those digital devices to do amazing things, but in my case, I can't understand most of the features that those devices offer.
Am I alone in this state of ignorance? Who can figure out those things! It seems that with every new gadget comes more problems and the dreaded word, "compatibility" is enough to make one ignore the technology (as I largely do). Jane has some kind of digital music recorder, but I have no knowledge of or interest in it. For example, it's my understanding that there are 6 music formats for digital players can choose from.
But most players can play only one or two of them. Now there is a push for "digital home entertainment systems" that will offer multiple uses (few of which I would probably be able to understand). Awwwwwwwww, since I don't understand all this new technology I will not attempt to write about what companies say will be our new future in entertainment systems, Sigh...I still long for the old Tv one turns on and off with a remote control clicker. For me that is as high tech as I want.
Related to my rant about too much digital today are some statistics from the Consumer Electronics Association. A group called Forrester Research supplied the sats, which I think are interesting in defining interest in the U.S in electronic gadgets. Surely, the U.S. and Europe are behind Korea, Japan and several of the Asian countries in this technology But the numbers do show quite a bit of interest in electronics. Here they are.
1) $1,250- amount the average U.S. household spends each year on new electronic devices.
2) 91%- percentage of new cameras sold that are digital (Of course I still have my trusty old non digital 35 mm point and shoot version!)
3) 807 million- it pains me to report, but that is the total number of cell phones sold world-wide in 2005.
4) 3- average number of TV sets per U.S. household
5) 88%- percentage of boys in the U.S. ages 12-17 who own a video game console. (63% of girls own one)
6) 87%- percentage of U.S. 15 year olds that use instant messaging
7) 25 million- number of digital music players sold in the U.S. in 2005
Sigh........ I think I should get off line, turn out the lights, fire up my candles and just go read a book.
Another method of "communicating" got an endorsement from a judge in Maryland the other day. It's the time worn, and user friendly "moon" You know..showing one's butt to another person. A Montgomery County, Maryland judge, John Debilius ruled that the act of mooning is not illegal in Maryland (But I wonder what that judge would do if one of the defendants mooned him!), thus clearing Raymond "Big Butt" McNealy, 44, of indecent exposure charges. Ok....Raymond isn't really nicknamed "Big Butt". I gave him that one for dramatic effect. But Raymond did show his butt to his neighbor and her 8 year old daughter during an argument with them. The judge did call Big Butt's moon a "disgusting act" but pointed that it was legal.
"If exposure of half a buttock constituted indecent exposure, any woman wearing a thong at the beach (Hmmm Send me your thong pictures so I an verify if it is indecent) at Ocean City beach would be guilty," wrote judge Debelius.
Big Butt's lawyers had successfully argued that the butt is not covered by Maryland's law banning the showing of "private parts" while the prosecution gave a common sense rationale why Big Butt should be found guilty. Prosecutor Dan Barnett said, " This was not a bathing suit scenario. This was a grown man exposing himself to an 8 year old girl."
But Big Butt's attorney only smiled at the verdict and quipped the line of the day that judge Debelius's ruing should "bring comfort to all beachgoers and plumbers in our state". Oh, my...I wonder if you will send me a moon picture when you download your thong photo "evidence"....