Questions: Technology & Internet

Would you pay an extra 20c-30c/gallon to be able to just sit in your car and have an attendant pump your fuel, check/fill your tires with air, wipe your windows, and check your oil?

Gas stations used to have some pumps that were self service and others that were full service.

The other day, I saw a news item about a new housing development being built nearby. I have no intention of moving, but I was curious about it, so I went to its website and looked around. The next day, I get an email asking me to make an appointment to see the model home. I ignored it.

A few weeks ago, my wife went shopping and used my credit cared (we share it, but it's in my name). A few days later, I start getting emails and text messages asking if I want to buy more of what she bought. I ignore those.

On my way to visit a friend a while back, I passed a shopping mall. I know Google tracks my cellphone, and sure enough, I started getting emails and texts from stores in the mall... that I didn't even stop at. I ignore them.

For years now, my I get coupons in the mail from my grocery store for items that I often buy, plus an occasional item I don't buy, just to get me to try it. I use the coupons for things that I want to buy, don't use the others.

This is all data mining at its finest, and just about every company does it today.

What is your experience with data mining?

Do you like it? Sometimes it can be useful.

Do you dislike it? It's invading your privacy.

Maybe you don't care, one way or another?

Or maybe you've never recognized being data-mined?

Please feel free to vote in the poll and give a comment.

Not sure what other countries are doing about this, but Canada's aiming to have electric cars in all/most people's driveways in the somewhat distant future. Do you think this a reality for most countries or is is shooting for the stars. I've heard/read the following:

- The batteries only last so long and at 13 to 20 K for Tesla's outside the warranty period.

- If you are charging on the go, you can wait hours for a charger due to line-ups, I've seen this at a few stations along the 401 in Ontario;

- More often than not, charger stations are out of order creating longer charging line-ups at popular station stops;

- The rare earth materials used in the manufacture of the magnets in EVs is a limited resource and mostly in countries where there are no limitations on the cost of these materials, similarly the Lithium in the batteries is not a renewable resource and the amount of dirty air industry to mine these materials will simply worsen air quality in these other countries. Does this just equate to an out of sight, out of mind feel good scenario;

- That just adding an at-home charging station in your garage may not possibly due to poor electrical infrastructure in most cities. The lines can easily be upgraded on your property, but the cities don't have the electrical power to support EV charging stations in everyone's homes.

Are these true? What's your opinion, do you think electric is the way to go or will the changeover have more environmental concerns in the long-run with waste battery materials etc.. Are we trading one necessary evil (carbon emission vehicles) for another that may potentially pollute the groundwater and surface water once the batteries start piling-up...