Technology

Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras in Millcreek Township, PA, are a matter of concern for some residents in both the Township and the City of Erie. The content below does not argue the risks of the cameras as much as it seeks to clarify the specifics of the agreements, administration, and control of them. Flock…

We recently gave up our landline. We had that phone number for many years, since the kids were little. It was sad to see it go—but somewhat liberating.  I resisted parting with our landline for years. My reasoning was that in an emergency (especially a catastrophic one), our cellphones might not work.  I kept a…

How do young kids learn to call 911? A long, long time ago, a child could simply run to a phone wired into the wall, pick up the receiver, hear a tone, and dial (either push button or rotary). The good old landline. When my husband and I got rid of our landline a few weeks ago,…

Ah, the computer and the Internet. The digital age. Once it was thought to be the saving grace of mankind. The things it could do! Automate mundane tasks. Reach into infinity for answers to every question we could think of. Connect us to anyone, anytime, anywhere—in real time. We now have all of these things and more. And, the…

Comparing today’s technology with the 1968 movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, reveals interesting parallels and contrasts. In some ways, almost two decades after the new millennium began, we have surpassed what the film makers imagined, but in others, we have quite a way to go. Our cellular technology strongly contrasts communication methods displayed in the movie.…

The other morning, at breakfast, my husband received a text from our credit card company. He asked me how much my meal cost at a dinner I attended the day before. “It was free,” I said. He then realized that the charge that the credit card company wished to verify was fraudulent. A quick Google…

Last weekend, we watched the latest Netflix DVD.com arrival, Gleason. This documentary, about retired New Orleans Saints defensive back, Steve Gleason, is a love letter to his son, and so much more. It’s a story of courage, hope, and grit. Diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2011, Gleason began a video diary for his then unborn child, and…

Registered patent attorney Jonathan D’Silva moved to northwestern Pennsylvania in 2005, and he has no plans to leave anytime soon. In fact, he just began a new business venture there, and that’s also where you’ll find his two largest clients. The nature of his business, however, has no geographic boundaries. Born in Kuwait, Jonathan attended…

Let me clarify. My iPhone itself didn’t kill the snowman, but my preoccupation with it caused the snowman’s demise. Here’s what happened. This morning I arose and stumbled toward the back door with Nutmeg and Nora, our Cairn terrier rescues, to let them out into the near-zero degree, pre-dawn air for their garden visit. While I waiting…

Have you ever received a Facebook friend request from someone you thought you were already friends with? Did you accept the request and then discover that you were now friends with the same person twice? It happened to me a few months ago. I went ahead and accepted the friend request and then messaged the person…