Intelligent Technology

Remember, I recently told you that I’m someone amazed that car ferries and ocean going liners actually float, that ginormous passenger aircraft take to the air and other amazing things actually work although largely mystified as to how – mobile phones, www, computers, large Hadron Collider (as I write I believe they are still looking for the elusive Higgs!! For those that don't know I'm a Higgs, it's my surname!) and even small things like sand, cement and water combining to make a rock hard material that in our new house often seem to be just where you don’t want it and is immovable!!  

I was also excited earlier today to find out the front of our post box (in France most people have actual boxes on posts outside their houses sometimes at some distance) has been replaced and now our box also has a spring loaded flap to allow letters to be posted into it.  How, I hear you asking did letters get into the box previously, well M. ou Mme Postier have a key and previously had to open the door to put it post.  This did explain why, shortly after we came to France, I saw someone taking out a parcel that as near as damn it filled the 30 cm cubic box, usually with a 4 or 5 x 20ish cm slit.  At the time it was a little like a magic trick until I realised!  The excitement was somewhat short lived as our old key doesn’t fit and so we can’t at the moment get anything out – we can however now look through the spring loaded flap to see if there is anything in there that we can’t get out – maybe the key will come tomorrow, or sometime next week or month, well this is France!!

I suppose I’ve got to admit it, it’s a case of little things not only pleasing little minds but also amazing them!  Although, I suppose the www is pretty huge even if it’s not really there and the Hadron thingy is also immense, which could account for why the Higgs has found such a good hiding place!  Sorry, I’m in danger of getting carried away and this is only the introduction!  Actually the main purpose of this short piece is very short, so it is helping to pad it out a little!!

So, back to intelligent technology, the title of this blog post.  Some weeks ago sitting at the computer after a very busy day DIYing and I don’t know if it was obvious that I was well and truly kn----ed, perhaps it was something to do with the strength with which I was hitting the keyboard, but a friendly little message came up saying “your battery is coming to the end of its useful life!” Polite and friendly it might have been but on closer inspection potentially a little scary, so I slowed up a little hoping to recharge my battery a little, despite having to face increased nagging from “her indoors,” she just said you can’t believe all that you read!

Well, the self same message kept coming back, and try as I might to slow down and take things easy, it wouldn’t go away.  Then, it changed and as I put on my specs to slowly read the next message, hoping it was along the lines of “Well done your sensible work / life balance has improved your battery no end – keep up the good work!”  But no, it appears that all the energy conservation measures I had undertaken werea to no avail – it simply said in bold letters “YOUR BATTERY NEEDS CHANGING!”  I think I need a holiday!  Hear, hear I hear you say, but you won’t get rid of me that easily, I’ll be back next month!