Maryland Stream & Technology

Last week I went geocaching on a narrow mountain road near our daughter's house and thought it was very pretty along the road.  I decided to bring Gerry up there when the leaves were changing since I thought it would be a beautiful setting.  The leaves are beginning to change but haven't reached near the full color they will be in next week, however we did take a short drive down the road.

The stream was flowing very nicely and there was a little sunshine and it was very pretty up there.  We took some photos of the stream from the road and want to go back and get some more from ground level along the stream.  Now all we have to do is wait for it to quit raining and have the sun come out.  

We finally broke down and setup a Redbox account so we can watch some of the more recent movies.  I set it up on one credit card account and when we used it for the first time I mistakenly put in a different credit card.  It worked!  I didn't get a receipt but the charge did appear on the card so all is well.  We picked up another movie tonight on the proper charge card and the email with the receipt was waiting for us when we got back to the cabin on the 2nd rental. 

It is a pretty impressive business plan they have with the Redbox.  I don't know how they can make any money renting DVDs for $1.00 and Blu-Ray movies for $1.50 other than they have low overhead and very few employees.  This is a case of why didn't I think of that!  It will be interesting to see how the movie rental business shakes out in the next few years.  Already the Hollywood Video stores in the area have closed down along with the local Blockbuster store.    Netflix and Blockbuster have internet downloads and that seems to be the way the industry is going.  Darn, more data clogging up the bandwidth of the internet.

I see where our friends Ron & Dee just received Kindle readers as gifts and are learning to use them.  It will be interesting to see if they wind up liking them or just put them on the table and let them sit there.  We have other friends who have tried the Kindle and loved them while a couple say they don't care for it.  

Technology is changing faster than my old brain can keep up with it.  Do you remember that Dick Tracy had a watch with a tv picture on it and that was considered unbelievable?    20 years ago I don't think anyone could have forecasted all the techno devices we have at our disposal today.  I think this is a case of "you haven't seen nothing yet" for the future.  OK, Scotty, beam me up!

Meanwhile, Gerry has the popcorn ready and it is time to dim the lights and watch "The Tourist".