c(old)er

29 04 2011

Image from latimes.com

Do you remember all those silly, little kid arguments and sayings that little kids would say when they were little?  You know, stuff like …’if they can do it so can I’, or ‘I won so it’s mine’ and of course the ever-popular …’you’re stupid’.  That’s right, the little phrases that were the rationale of the closed-minded, egocentric and self-absorbed child who hadn’t yet understood what manners were or how to function around other little kids let alone the larger community beyond them.

Now add about 50 years, some celebrity star power, a whole whack of money and you’ve got yourself the little kid reincarnate who is admired by the masses for his ‘success’ and straight-shooting opinions.  *must not read news.  must not read news…*

Oh, and I missed the wedding btw.  I’m sure it was grand and full of the finest pomp and circumstance.  I also missed Michael’s Office finale as well.  Ditto for that hockey thing.  And basketball.  Hummm.  I wonder if I’m receding a bit too far from that warm, comfy center of culture and becoming a cold, bitter outsider?  I am getting old …but then there are old people who are completely at home in the middle of things.  Just not all though.  I was at the gym a few days ago and walked in on a conversation between some naked old-timers in the locker room….

You’re on Facebook aren’t you?
What?
Facebook!
*puzzled look*
C’mon, don’t tell me you don’t know what Facebook is!?
*laughter*
I don’t know what that is.
*more laughter*  Facebook?  *and yet more laughter*

As the naked, laughing old-timer left his bewildered counterpart to his shame and walked by me with a wide smirk across his face, I casually made the remark …”He’s probably lucky.”  He kept his smile and wandered off to dry his shrivelled man-bits a few lockers down.

I was serious.


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Categories : current events, the other stuff

r.i.p.

22 02 2011

According to this New York Times article it seems the younger generation has fallen off the blogwagon.  Or on it …however that works.  Facebook and Twitter are the thieving culprits of course, and even though some older folks are staying the course, there’s a valid argument that perhaps the good ol’ web-log might be set to follow in the footsteps of other digital dinosaurs such as the animated gif, guestbooks and instant messaging to name a few.

Or is it the case that rather than dying off, the blog is morphing into something else?  The animated gif has become flash, guestbooks are kinda like ‘walls’ and instant messaging is still instant but just more widespread than the typical one on one of yesteryear.  The kids though, they’re all about the now.  It’s true I think.  If I was a kid there’s no way I’d spend the amount of time that I do putting together some of the posts that I have.  It’s too much work.  Facebook is easier because you can say something simple and toss in a link or video and voila ….your friends will be liking you from dusk till dawn and in a matter of seconds.  Ditto for Twitter with its small character limit.  These things are quicker, and for the fleeting mind of the youngster riddled with all this modern technological magic, it’s just easier.

Even the older generation can get on board as they all have families, work and other important things in life that take precedent over maintaining an online presence.  There’s the real world to deal with – and it’s much easier to do our ‘onlining’ in small doses …like in between meal preparations, in between office politics and in between you giving your kid pushes on a swing.  Technology has made that a no-brainer, and if staying connected to that relative halfway around the world simply means snapping a quick picture of your dog in a park and then ‘one-clicking’ it to your facebook profile …well, how much more easier could that be!?  Even the founders here at WordPress (the blogging platform I’m on incase you haven’t noticed …and interestingly one of the few that have grown in users) now allow you to post via text-messaging as well as audio entries direct from your cell.

‘Simple’ is our preference it seems, but the article mentions young blog writers being uninspired by a lack of readers as well …and I can sympathize with that.  A few years ago I had hits at around 200/day, and that kinda felt good …before I blocked myself from search engines that is.  The problem though, and it took me a while to figure this out (if I actually have!) was that I became motivated for the wrong reasons.  Of course it feels good to have people react to what you do, but at the same time it’s nice to just operate on your own time and for your own purpose …as selfish as that may be.  Kids though… kids are all about their social circles.  That is, they’re still being shaped by those around them while old geezers such as myself are moving in an almost opposite direction; being more concerned about leaving a ‘mark’ rather than finding oneself or creating alliances.  That is why we drive with our signal light on all the time btw …we just don’t care ;)  Having visitors can never be bad …but we all blog for different reason as certain aspects of the process appeal to different people depending on that point in life they’re at.

And then there’s ‘small talk’, as the article rightly noted, as being easier to do to with ‘social media’.  This is the main reason for the blog’s demise in my opinion; it’s just not conducive to the trivial.  You shouldn’t have to waste your time by clicking on a link, opening a fresh browser window, sorting through sidebars and headers all just to read that so and so is ‘getting tired of the rain.’  That would be ridiculous …and that’s why Twitface is so perfect for this job.  Blogs, as Elisa Camahort Page mentions, are for “more meaty discussion” …and I have to agree.  Of course all work and no play makes blogs into dull boys too, but then again even in the meat of a blog (or at least in the good ones that is) you’ll find the essence of the author peeking through; that little bit of personalization that tells you that you aren’t just reading the news, you aren’t just reading another copy & paste column and you aren’t just clicking on links to inspirational quotes or funny youtube videos.  Er, not most of the time that is.

As for blogs being on their way out, well …I suppose that might be true, but then maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing?  Maybe it’s just a matter of the cream rising to the top?  It takes work to source and read-up on interesting opinions and commentaries and then to form coherent and structured posts of your own …and maybe it’s the case that the predominant digital users of the day happen to be the young, tech savvy individuals who are on the go 24/7.  You know, the people too busy being busy …like the ones who won’t give you (or their family it seems) the time of day because there’s more important things going on in the world and they have to stay in the loop or risk being left behind.  Yeah …that type.

You’ll probably find them watching Justin Bieber being shot and killed on CSI.

Tombstone image from unknown source. Cheezy, animated, seizure inducing gif courtesy yours truly :)

 


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email

16 12 2010

Electronic Mail.  I’ve always liked it because it was to me as practical as regular mail.  For letters that is.  Paper stuff.  Parcels and packages …nope.  Somewhat though, if you consider software and other various types of media in attachment form.  So yeah, aside from ‘big’ items like the package of cinnamon buns and jams I used to get from my late Baba, email is kinda tops in the digital messaging department.  If you’ve convinced yourself that other messaging protocols are similar then you should consider that for most of them you need an email account to get started.  IM.  Facebook.  Twitter.  Scores of others ask you for an email address before you can use their services …forums, messaging boards, chat rooms etc..

And so today I’m happy to announce, in case you haven’t heard that is, that your email now enjoys the same privileges, securities and privacy usually reserved for those more important things like regular mail and phone calls.  How so you say?  Well, it appears the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has made a decision in a case involving the search and seizure of stored emails.  Here’s the gist of their decision as posted on the Electronic Frontier Foundation page…

“Given the fundamental similarities between email and traditional forms of communication [like postal mail and telephone calls], it would defy common sense to afford emails lesser Fourth Amendment protection…. It follows that email requires strong protection under the Fourth Amendment; otherwise the Fourth Amendment would prove an ineffective guardian of private communication, an essential purpose it has long been recognized to serve…. [T]he police may not storm the post office and intercept a letter, and they are likewise forbidden from using the phone system to make a clandestine recording of a telephone call–unless they get a warrant, that is. It only stands to reason that, if government agents compel an ISP to surrender the contents of a subscriber’s emails, those agents have thereby conducted a Fourth Amendment search, which necessitates compliance with the warrant requirement….“

The ruling is from The United States of America v. Steven Warshak.  It’s a funny, albeit sad read if you’re interested (click for a .pdf download).  It all revolves around a ‘growing’ (pardon the pun) business involving a penis enlargement drug called Enzyte.  People …or rather men, were bilked out of money through an ‘auto-ship program’ where the company would continue to ship and bill for treatments until the men accepting them were convinced that it just wasn’t working.  Needless to say the company made millions from the natural/innate ’4 inches = 6 inches’ perception problem that’s common to the middle-aged, insecure and slightly balding male population.  The Government seized over 27,000 of the company’s emails from various ISP’s that hosted the Warshak accounts.  The Circuit Court though, and rightfully so, came to the realization that email is more than a passing fad; “Since the advent of email, the telephone call and the letter have waned in importance, and an explosion of Internet-based communication has taken place. People are now able to send sensitive and intimate information, instantaneously […] to friends, family, and colleagues half a world away. Lovers exchange sweet nothings, and businessmen swap ambitious plans, all with the click of a mouse button. Commerce has also taken hold in email. Online purchases are often documented in email accounts, and email is frequently used to remind patients and clients of imminent appointments.” (taken from the above .pdf file)

So there you have it, the lowly email has grown into the de-facto mode of communication in this modern age.  Of course, like regular mail, things can be stolen.  Just as a thieving type character can hide in your shrubbery waiting for your letter-carrier to make a deposit, so too can a bored/nosy neighbor monitor the data you provide by hopping on that ‘free’ wireless signal that’s conveniently there when you need it.  So take precautions.  And at the same time, know that what you securely send by email into that digital ether will still remain secure.

And yes, even the correspondence for your ’4 to 6 inch conversion goggles’ are safe from prying eyes ;)

You've got mail! (image source unknown)


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Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., current events

alone

28 10 2010

I wonder, if after all the technology induced connectedness, there’s going to be a time not so far ahead when the young people growing up in this affront on personal space, rise up in revolt?  When they come to a point where they realize they don’t have that ‘alone time’ they need.  Not that social media is a fad (or the only culprit for that matter …and it serves a purpose in our lives and is without doubt here to stay), but that users growing up in its influence will inevitably want to take that step back …to reclaim that need to be alone.  Some ‘me’ time.  Time away from the cloud, so to speak.  Take this video I saw posted on a friends FB page a while ago…

Being the bitter, grumpy, lonely, despondent old man I am, I responded half comically and half seriously “Leave it to the youth to proclaim the virtues of being alone.” …but I wonder if it’s not so much a youth thing.  I wonder if perhaps it’s a person thing.  A natural desire.  And perhaps it’s only that the youth realize it …or in this instance, see it more clearly.  That same friend also found a value in being disconnected, and had the foresight to document the benefits in a video…

Might there be some sort of uprising on this technological intrusion in our lives, and will the young persuade us to move in an opposite direction?  And if they do, will we listen?  Or, sadly, will we gradually lose that desire for ‘alone time’ and give in not to the sensible voices in our head, but to those in that cloud bearing down on us?  Personally I don’t feel so optimistic.  Life is getting busier after all …and it’s harder to see that proverbial forest through the trees.  What I am optimistic about though, is the influence of youth on our lives.  From fashion to health to that starry-eyed romantic perspective, us old people often glance back in hopes of finding that long-lost, idealistic grounding.  There’s something about young eyes that makes things fresh in a way.  Something that that reminds us of what is truly important in our lives.

In hindsight, “Leave it to the young to proclaim the virtues of being young.” may have been a better response.


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Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., religion, spirituality, philosophy, the other stuff

cellout

11 10 2010

So, interestingly, I’ve not only made the transition to a cell phone but I’ve decided to give up the landline.  Wow.  Have I really changed my tune that much!  Kinda…  To be honest giving up the landline isn’t as big a deal as I at first thought it was.  A) nobody calls me anyway (it’s true -ha), B) 95% of all my work related communication is done through email/internet, C) long-distance/family type calls are handled through Skype (and have been for a while already) and D) isn’t the landline going the way of the television?  It looks that way it seems.  Heck, I’ve used the phonebook maybe twice this year.   As for texting …I’ve sorta taken to it.  Strange, I know.  But really, a lot of the time a conversation on the phone is filled with extra/extemporaneous information that isn’t really about the issue you intended to discuss.  Of course that can be helpful at times, but it can also get in the way.  With texting it seems that things are more to the point.  Of course the point can be pointless too, but that’s the beauty of it as well.  The other obvious things I love about the cell is that I can answer it when I want to and – wait for it …can use it away from home!  Yes, it’s a novel idea I know, but it’s been almost liberating in a way.  So this is all good.  The other thing is that my cell is more smrt than smart …which means that I can stay away from the whole intertwined social media catastrophe that glues people to their devices.  When I shut it off, you’ll just have to leave a message.  And what about the ‘conversations’ that are of the idle, random, hey-hows-it-going variety?  You can still have them of course, but then maybe that’s a great reason to physically get together with someone in the first place.

A funny thing happened a few days ago …I had Skype running (forgot to shut it off) and suddenly my niece was on the other line.  We did the video chat and for fun exchanged texts and chatted on Facebook all at the same time.  It really kinda summed up the whole ‘same shit different shovel’ concept of communication we seem to find ourselves in.  The thing is, we all get used to the various forms we encounter …and what’s best for some isn’t necessarily what’s best for others.  We use things because they work for us, and if things work then there’s really no need to change what you’re doing.  They all do the same thing, and what’s better is a matter of personal preference.  It’s communication after all …and as Margaret Atwood mentions in this clip, it’s something we’ve been doing forever.

Happy Thanksgiving btw ...in case I missed that sentiment earlier ;)


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excitement

14 09 2010

I am drinking tea.  Green tea.  It’s hot.  Why am I drinking tea?  Because Cathy told me to.  Cathy, the Man’s better half, sensed the stress in my voice while on the phone and suggested I go home and drink some tea.  I didn’t think too much of it really, but not able to counter I decided what the heck …I may as well go home and drink some tea.  It won’t kill me after all.  So hear I am …drinking tea.  It doesn’t do much for a headache however.  Ditto for a cold.  Ditto for a sore hand.  I didn’t wear my gay wrist wrap while at work because it’s gay, and now my wrist hurts more than before.  That’s even gayer.  It hurt to lift things.  It hurt to open doors.  It hurt to close them.  It even hurt to nudge them shut.  If it had eyes it would hurt to look at doors I think.  The Man gave me a new van today too …30 kilometres on it.  I couldn’t even get excited.  The seat’s nice.  The key thingy works well after I reprogrammed it to NOT beep when it locks.  The side doors suck though.  The back …I’m undecided on yet.  Cruise is nice.  It is a van I suppose.  It drives.

I took on a high school musical in November the other day.  Grease.  It is the ‘word’ isn’t it?  It should be fun though.  I did have to bail on two other gigs, but I gave two months notice so I’m happy with that.  One gig had me doing sound too …and I hate doing sound.  I see it as a blessing in disguise.  My green tea doesn’t look green though.  Can tea get old?  Should green tea be brown?  I’m not a tea drinker …I don’t know these things.  It’s too complicated to know.  I do like the fact that Fall hadn’t fallen like I thought it would when I got back home.  That’s nice.  Even some dandelions sprouted again …that could be the third crop?  My niece texted me the other night to send her some instructions on how to download youtube stuff.  I said I’ll get back to her today.  She said thanks.  Lol, she then sent another text that wasn’t intended for me.  I don’t think I’ll mention I got it.  Shhhhh, don’t tell.  I also missed my chance to see Land.  I met the director (Julian) at one of the festivals I was just at …a young guy whose seen and done some interesting things.  I’m lazy, so if it comes around again let me know where!  This is quite the rambling paragraph btw.

New paragraph.  Yes, I did get a cell.  I hummed and hawed on it for a spell and when I found that the smaller players (Fido, Koodo, Solo etc.) are all just revamped offerings from the big boys (Telus, Bell, Rogers etc.) I decided to screw them all.  Kinda.  I opted for 7-11′s Shout Out.  It came with a slurpee.  Most importantly though, nothing expires for a year …so if I don’t use crap, then it just hangs around until I do.  It was nice to have on the road.  I also joined the FB masses.  Why?  It seems it’s the new email.  Now you can get a hold of me on FB, by text, by phone and by email …wow.  What a wonderful world we live in.

And if that ain’t enough to make me feel better I don’t know what will.


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tweet

12 08 2010

WordPress has just announced a ‘tweet’ function enabling users to retweet posts …and the people just love it!  Lol, as for myself …well, let’s just say the same sort of logic I recently applied to my smartphone purchase is also being applied here.  What kinda sealed the deal for me was when one commenter replied “Great! I hope now for a Facebook Button :)“

Me too!

To retweet this post click here!


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