A casual interest in all things GPS-related led me to stumble across a great story on CNN about “Old West cattle herding with a 21st century twist”. Boffins from the USDA and MIT have combined to create the Ear-A-Round:
The wireless headset… has stereo earphones that transmit sounds directly into the cow’s ears to guide its movement. Powered by a small solar energy panel, the unit contains a GPS device to monitor a cow’s location and movement… Researchers hope the device will give ranchers and farmers the ability to herd cattle from afar
Now, while this may sound comical - lazy ranchers directing their cows from the comfort of air conditioned offices like air traffic controllers watching dots dancing on green screens - and a possible threat to the future of old-fashioned cowboys, the story has one real nugget: “Another potential benefit would be eye-friendly vistas that have no fences.”
My knowledge of the end of the Old West era centres on the fencing in of the prairies, the widespread adoption of barbed wire - ‘The Devil’s Rope’ - and the bloody period known as ‘The Fence Cutter Wars‘. Inventors like Joseph Glidden made a fortune, the invention changed cattle country beyond recognition and radically reduced the need for armies of line-riders.
Imagine then if technology conquers the need for fences and the west returns to a wide open space, unhindered by man-made barriers? ‘Virtual paddocks’ replace ranch fencing and the Open Range is open again.
America’s “oldest working CEO” passed away on Wednesday at the ripe old age of 107.
The inventor of the first western style shirts with snap buttons, Jack A. Weil obviously spotted a market for City Slicker western wear long before the Billy Crystal movie, telling Mark Wolf at Rocky Mountain News:
“The cowboy business wasn’t an industry… There wasn’t enough of them, and they didn’t make enough money. They’d come to town, get drunk and the next month do it again. I felt there was a market from Middle Westerners and Easterners and we could take advantage of the popularity of Western movies. In the East you had to make it casual wear. I saw an opportunity to make a difference.”
I haven’t been to the glorious golden state since working on a travelling carnival back in 1994 - a shocking gap of 14 years. I’m due to pass through again in Jan 2009 and had hoped to find it just as laid-back as when Pete Wilson was Governor.
Welcome everyone, to Nannyfornia: Birthplace of the Ban, Capital of the Clampdown, Mecca of the Moratorium. Or you could just call it the new Mild, Mild West.
As we head towards 4 November 2008 and the great Obama vs. McCain shoot-out it seems the Democrats have already won in California and are embarking on some serious Nanny-state style clampdowns. I can’t wait to get there (via Route 66) and see for myself .
Now there’s a title that just rolls off the tongue! I’m new to the world of Wii but working with ‘youngsters’ (i.e. those under 30 with free time and pots of disposable income) means I get to hear all about the joys on online gaming using the latest must have console.
While I’ve been content to practice my bowling skills, I’ve apparently missed out on the wonders of WiiWare’s downloadable games. A quick browse turned up this latest Wild West game just released by GameLoft.
It looks like some of the old style arcade shoot ‘em ups I wasted many a £1 or two on. For those without access to a Wii you can review the highlights in the video trailer below.
Tonight I’ll be wrestling the controls off my 7 year old son and trying to configure the wireless router to give it a go.
