tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post7744403441662318084..comments2024-02-27T10:50:27.922+00:00Comments on Books, Mud and Compost. And Horses.: Where's the dog gone?Jane Badgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628233623713926723noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-37991416033646106052008-07-04T13:00:00.000+01:002008-07-04T13:00:00.000+01:00Yes, wouldn't that be handy? There are few things...Yes, wouldn't that be handy? There are few things more frustrating than searching for a book you KNOW you have not sold. You just don't know where it is.Jane Badgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02628233623713926723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-68695934206154944402008-06-25T20:55:00.000+01:002008-06-25T20:55:00.000+01:00I wish they did mini ones for books. I see a title...I wish they did mini ones for books. I see a title regularly on the shelves for weeks when looking for other things, then I sell it. Can I find it? No. An evening of two of us unshelving everything in stock and eventually it turns up somewhere unbelievably unlikely. If I could track them electronically it would save hours, and I would know when husband had nicked them to read!Juxtabookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17102279698993288454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-70786210279695860542008-06-21T16:18:00.000+01:002008-06-21T16:18:00.000+01:00Jane, I never thought of dementia, but for "vulner...Jane, I never thought of dementia, but for "vulnerable" adults (and indeed children) it could be useful.<BR/><BR/>Like all technologies it has the potential to be abused.pullein-thompson-archivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875692220143559727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-6414703019284554072008-06-21T14:01:00.000+01:002008-06-21T14:01:00.000+01:00Juliet - I hope he has a great time. My daughter's...Juliet - I hope he has a great time. My daughter's teacher told me one reason they didn't allow mobile phones was because some children phoned home every time they had an argument, and then the parent would ring the teacher and... <BR/><BR/>Gillian - my animals are microchipped too, and dog also has a tag with our phone number on it. I completely agree with you about teenagers. Having one in the car would be bad enough, but my chances of persuading my 6' 5" lad to wear a tag? Minimal..... and as you say, a complete lack of trust. Undoubtedly my boy does get up to some things I'd rather not, though at least I hear about some of them, from him, later. I can't think of anything more likely to scupper communication than tagging them.<BR/><BR/>PTA: I can entirely see your point there, and I also think these things have a use for those with dementia (my step grandmother had it and I know just how worrying it can be, and what trouble they can inadvertently get themselves into).Jane Badgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02628233623713926723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-68682949045103866962008-06-20T21:40:00.000+01:002008-06-20T21:40:00.000+01:00I belong to the National Autistic Society (NAS for...I belong to the National Autistic Society (NAS for short), and they send out newsletters every so often. Sometimes they have tracking systems similar to the ones advertised within the magazine - there it does prove useful.<BR/><BR/>Autism affects people in different ways - Autistic people (and even children) range from being totally non-verbal to "normal" (ie you couldnt tell the difference in some cases). For those children who are liable to go off - autistic children (and even adults) have very little - and in some cases none - perception of danger. This could lead them into all sorts of dangers. Additionally, regardless of their verbal communication ability, people with autism DO NOT answer to their name (you could shout John all day and they would never come). So if they do get lost, it is harder to find them than a regular child.<BR/><BR/>Even if the child can (to an non-autistic sympathetic/ordinary adult) talk "normally" to an adult and could ask for directions, they may not necessarily understand them. Autistic children have greater difficulty understanding verbal communication, and work much better when an instruction is written down rather than spoken to them.<BR/><BR/>All of this could get to them being lost, and possibly being taken by bad people out there. That is where such a tracking device could be invaluable, as it would keep such a child safe.<BR/><BR/>Although I use the word "child" here it could equally apply to adults who need a reasonable amount of care too. Also, it could apply to anyone else with a severe learning difficulty too. (Also I am using child in a legal sense of the word here, this includes teenagers.)<BR/><BR/>I do think that installing them on children with the sole intent of their parents of spying on them is going a step too far. Also, there are some overly paranoid/strict parents who would also use this as a means to control their older children. Although there are some very nasty adults in the world, the child needs to learn their own independence and to a certain extent freedom - without tracking devices. <BR/><BR/>As for pets - all technology can fail - the best bet is to get your pet microchipped in the first place - that way if it does get lost, it can be returned to you. Also, particularly with dogs, a decent amount of training would be a great help too.<BR/><BR/>Also for cats - most cats weigh under 7 kg. Mine weigh 4 kg and 4.5 kg respectively and my uncle's cat weighs 5 kg. Unless you have a very large cat or an (massively) overweight one, the chances are it will be too light for such an technology.pullein-thompson-archivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875692220143559727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-62733931982115047362008-06-20T21:35:00.000+01:002008-06-20T21:35:00.000+01:00I saw some trailers for a 'cotton-wool kids' progr...I saw some trailers for a 'cotton-wool kids' programme that was on a few months back, where a mother was talking seriously about having her kids microchipped. I thought it was quite terrifying.<BR/><BR/>I do have my cats microchipped, so if they wander and are found by someone else, they can be identified and returned. The cats, however, are oblivious to the chips. I can only think that a teenager who knows his/her parents can check up on them via GPS is as likely to be pissed off as reassured. It does suggest a lack of trust, in an older child, certainly. I can forsee lawsuits from teenagers and young adults demanding the right to their privacy.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09941239760699389457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782167599693788794.post-31012902765534230612008-06-20T20:51:00.000+01:002008-06-20T20:51:00.000+01:00My son will soon be going off on his Year 6 reside...My son will soon be going off on his Year 6 residential holiday down in Devon. Mobile phones are not to be taken, it says in bold type on the kit list. It is explained on the notes that this is because the staff prefer to help children to get over their homesickness, as part of the learning process which this trip is designed to fulfil. In fact, a seasoned teacher whispered to me, the kids have such a whale of a time that homesickness is rarely a problem. The year they *did* allow mobile phones, they were plagued by calls from anxious parents 'just checking that everything was ok'. Several times a day. To 70-odd kids. For a whole week. <BR/><BR/>I'd probably have been unable to resist myself, so I'm really quite pleased the phone will be staying at home.Juliethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18055924620237477722noreply@blogger.com