The Mobility

Robots wobble but don't fall down
Hitachi unveils robots on wheels
Friday, March 18, 2005 Posted: 2019 GMT (0419 HKT)

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Hitachi's robot on wheels avoids obstacles, responds to simple voice commands and reads the weather forecast.
But it is very much a work in progress: Reporters invited to a demonstration were warned not to touch the two prototypes for safety's sake. They also were asked not to use a camera flash at certain angles or to cross a white line on the floor.
The 150-pound, 51-inch-tall robots, nicknamed Pal and Chum, are equipped with digital cameras and radar sensors, allowing them to avoid obstacles with a reaction time of one-tenth of a second.
EMIEW robots, which stands for "excellent mobility and interactive existence as workmate," don't have legs but zip around on two wheels at the speed of a slow jog.
They appear a bit wobbly but manage to balance themselves and won't fall, even if nudged gently.
One showed it can raise its arm upon command. It also swiveled in a circle, gave directions to the bathroom and read the weather forecast.
"My name is Pal, which means 'friend,' " the robot said in Japanese in a soft electronic voice.
The machine, with its thick barrel-like abdomen and bubbly head, was developed for display at the World Exposition, which opens this month in the central Japanese city of Aichi.
Hitachi officials hope to rent or sell such robots within six years.

So I really just posted the article for this picture:

"Child-size robots Pal and Chum"

The Defeat

The following are two emails. I do not make a habit of posting emails, but I feel like these two deserve to be read by others.

This is what I wrote to an artist named Nathan. It is a pretty good email.




This is what he replied. This kicks my email's ass.

The Answer

Analog is Truth.

The Hilarity

For a good chuckle follow your nose...or click on the picture below, it will lead you to that link.



Thanks Shane, I didn't know that was possible.

The Effect

I forsee a large number of customer service representatives being quite upset with the CBC if word of this gets out.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR COMPLAINING
10) Start with the Supervisor - Work your way up with your complaint. If a person can’t help you, ask for their supervisor. If they can't help you, ask for their supervisor. If you've entered the complaint centrifuge via a call centre, follow the script of our call centre insider: 'There’s got to be somebody there supervising you guys. You put me through to them now.'

9) Be Persistent - Don’t give up on your complaint. You may get frustrated, you may feel like you’re getting nowhere in your quest – but keep your eye on the prize: customer satisfaction. As our on the shop floor insider explains, just when you think you've hit the wall with your complaint, 'the manager comes in and ... says 'Fine, we’ll give you a refund, no problem.'

8) Don’t Get Angry - If you're tempted to blow your top, stop. No one likes dealing with a jerk – and as our professional complainer says, ‘When somebody’s screaming and yelling, they’re not making sense most of the time… It’s much more threatening to stay calm than it is to scream and yell.’

7) Don’t Let Them Put You on Hold - No one wants to hang out in on-hold limbo. For starters, there's no guarantee you'll ever have your call picked up again. "You have every right to tell them not to put you on hold," says our call centre insider.

6) Avoid the Sympathy Trap - You’re on a roll. Your complaining effectively and you’re winning ground. And then the person you’re complaining to drops the sympathy card (which generally involves a lot of nodding and phrases like: “That must be frustrating” or “I an understand why you’re upset.”) It’s a tactic, says our call centre insider. They’re not trying to be nice - “they’re just trying to control the conversation.”

5) Write to the top - Our professional complainer says writing a letter is a far better method of complaining that voicing your beef over the phone: "I really think the phone is an ineffective way to complain. I always go right to the top and I always let it filter back down to where it should be handled to begin with. When you use the phone, other people have the ultimate weapon: they can hang up on you… And there’s no record that you called."

4) Document Everything - As you move your complaint up the ladder, it's important that you keep detailed notes of all your interactions with the company, including when you spoke with them, what was said, and with whom you spoke (get their full name!) Our professional complainer says "it’s really crucial" that you keep tabs everything, "because when you do escalate the complaint to a higher level, you need to know who you spoke to. That way, they know that they’re accountable for what they’ve said."

3) Spread the Bad News - When you've gotten a raw deal, your best weapon is word-of-mouth. Our consumer survey consultant crunches numbers on customer dissatisfaction. Her recent study found that "51 per cent of consumers who hear a negative story from a friend ... will actually not shop at that store." Hit the company where it hurts: the bottom line.

2) Demand Compensation - Don't settle with an empty apology - you'll end up feeling unsatisfied and the company likely won't learn from its mistake. "I do think it’s a good idea when you complain to ask to get something for your trouble," says our professional complainer.

1) Just Complain! - Maybe it's a stereotype, but we Canadians are pretty notorious for our quiet kindness (or is that apathy?). But holding our collective tongues isn't getting us anywhere. "We all benefit by complaining," our consumer survey consultant says. "We benefit because hopefully retailers and other companies get the lesson… The bottom line is [we should complain] so that companies improve the kind of service that consumers are experiencing today."

Overall, if you do have a valid complaint with a company, this is a good reference. The term "professional complainer" troubles me, however. Also, this is going to make it that much easier for all those jackasses who have nothing better to do than complain.

The Fine Dine

All I have to say is: rock on. Also, I was right. Those are probably my three favourite places in the world.

Vancouver 3rd in world in quality of life surveyLast Updated Sun, 13 Mar 2005 17:56:35 EST
CBC News

VANCOUVER - Vancouver's natural assets and temperate climate make it one of the best cities in the world in which to live, a new survey says.

The annual quality of life survey released by Mercer Human Resource Consulting placed Vancouver third out of 215 cities, the same as last year.


Vancouver's climate helped it rise in the rankings, according to Mercer spokeswoman Danielle Bushen.
The only two places that beat the West Coast city were Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland.
Toronto edged up one spot in the rankings to 14th place. Montreal was 22nd, up two spots, Ottawa was unchanged in 20th spot, and Calgary was 25th, down one.

All five Canadian cities in the survey were praised for their relatively high levels of "personal safety and security" and for being in a politically stable country.

Baghdad was deemed the world's least secure city because of ongoing civil unrest and threats of attack in the city. Luxembourg was ranked the top city for personal safety and security.
In the United States, the highest-rated cities were Honolulu and San Francisco, tied in 25th spot with Calgary, while Houston, in 68th spot, ranked lowest.

The Visual Display

A few weeks ago there was an adventure, as it always is. There is much evidence to support that, here are some of my favourite pictures. I apologize for my attempts at being artistic. The humourous photos will make an appearance eventually, I promise.

At a rest stop along the way. The woman at the gas station had four teeth. The gas station also sold alligator heads at reasonable prices.



The only good part of Epcot.



This is where departures from Earth take place.



The beach, the wonderful beach we wandered aimlessly, for not long enough.



Scenic.

The Evolution of Rebellion

I have never considered what this article presents. Homo sapiens are the only species known to have teenagers. Think about it. Every other animal goes from baby to adult at a steady, gradual state. We, on the other hand, plateau after for about eight years after age three, then suddenly just start it up again. However:

He [anthropologist Steven Leigh from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign] points out that many primates have growth spurts in particular body regions that are associated with reaching maturity, and this makes sense because by timing the short but crucial spells of maturation to coincide with the seasons when food is plentiful, they minimize the risk of being without adequate food supplies while growing. What makes humans unique is that the whole skeleton is involved. For Leigh, this is the key.

The article explains one possible reason as to why humans appear to be the only ones that have adolescence:

While such behaviour is still developing, humans cannot easily fend for themselves, so it is best to stay small and look youthful. That way you do not eat too much, and your parents and other members of the social group are motivated to continue looking after you.

Judging by the amount of people cited in the article, it seems as though this is a very controversial issue. It is clearly also one that will not every be solved conclusively (please don't hold me to that). However, the article does state:

So it looks as though Bogin is correct — we are the original teenagers.

I recommend reading this article. It could make you seem interesting at parties.