Clockin' the changes
I'm nostalgic for that clock radio you mention, which happens to also tie into the digital dysfunction theme in my story. A clock radio in the UK tends to be completely digital - in the broadcast signal it receives, as well as in its operation. It also happens to require technical training to figure out how to set the alarm, etc. All for the equivalent of a ridiculous $65, and that's just the base model. Give me a good old analog Dream Machine for $18, with a few manageable buttons and dials...
One more word on the non sequitur: It's not just the power that those computing devices are directly consuming. It's also the power that stores, manipulates and delivers the ocean full of data...
Now, as no one has brought up this related rant, I will: How 'bout all those nuts who wear iPod-connected earphones while jogging or cycling out on the road? I bet that's some of you! Safety tip: You can't hear the cars coming. Why not just paint a garage ramp on you t-shirt and invite a Mack Truck to roll up? There's plenty of time to play your favorite tunes elsewhere. Hear the birds and all that. I jog. I bike. I listen.
Sorry if that's also a non sequitur John, but I think you'll find it's more related than the CO2.
