Random Richochets
Been busy and going to be as well. So random ricochets:
Yes, So many winters have been passed idly in the promise of the summers. Well now, spring is here, almost - which means more travelling, more sports and less online time.Personally speaking it's marvellous because this winter has been an enlightenment of sorts: Buddha under the bandwidth tree.
We were told that information is a commodity of our times and hence an invaluable tool of transaction/interaction rendering the internet a priceless infinity. But the more time one spends on the internet the more one realises the grand futility of it all. While I shall put up my hand first and say internet has most definitely made information more accessible, I suppose it is but only in terms of the means and the ease of finding it than anything else. What needed a bit of digging and jouly smiles and take cares to the grumpy librarians before has been transformed into just typing into sacred search space of Google. Good. And that’s about it. Nothing more.
Coming to the much hyped user generated content - I must say it is almost terrifying. As we speak millions of snaps are uploaded on the flickr and garage video uploaded on youtube with a million comments that follow representing the culture of our times. Fine, but it makes you wonder if all these are really a substitute for the real? What it has achieved is only to make pockets of populations reinforcing extant attitudes and mentalities, the danger of which I think is that it would hardly let you come to realise your own position in the real holistic world.
The same applies to blogging. We were told it would herald a generation of new democracy. That the culture would grow exponentially subsequent to the blogging interaction. All such prophecies much as I had predicted have been unfounded. Real journalism continues to be as strong as ever. Blogging has settled into a hackney of a dynamic: you post something which means a penny more to you than other trivia and it would be admired or discussed by a group of select bloggers who are or become your group. And such groups exchange banalities endlessly.
Any differences of opinion from outside is scorned upon and fiercely crushed down. So where exactly is the democracy? It has brought forth easy access to other’s stupidities. As I mentioned before, the lack of meaningful exchange makes you firmer in your beliefs depriving you of your knowledge in the realistic world. Feminists just seek out feminists blogs and bloggers, while the technology enthusiasts continue to be engrossed in their technology discussions. Status Quo.
Plus there are some insecure noises made about saving your identity while blogging. That’s a whine from a person too much in love with his/her opinion. Anonymity is going to be history soon. And Handles would be frowned upon in less than ten years. Hmmm.
On the positive side here are some interesting status messages I found on gtalk:
..wants to grow up and become Bill Murray.
..happened, he cant be reduced to a set of influences.
..MTV presents Stephen Hawking unplugged.
..Haat baaais enge?
..Love is never having to say sorry. Bitch.
..making pills for poverty.
..busy fuck off.
And picture this: You worked hard all your life and saved a bit of money for your old age. Gave a good bit of your young life to fight a big war so your future generation might enjoy a free life. And when you are old you happened to have Alzheimer’s Dementia and your savings exceeded £ 22000 then the UK government would pay for your care in a desolate nursing or care home and confiscate all your belongings inc. the savings. That’s a negative about socialist medicine. But I’m not against it, works for most of the folks. Contrast that against a famous writer, diagnosed with a rare variant of Alzheimer's at an early stage because he couldnt type the word -else and being able to not only pay for his treatment but also donate a chunk to charity. But what itches me about people like Terry Pratchett who made a fortune by telling fantasy tales is not being able to just shut up and face the reality, keep their private affairs private. Why shouldn’t I talk? is the rhetoric he uses. Because Mr Pratchett,
1. If your next book sales hit a high we wouldn’t know if it is sympathy?
2. You got to have a look around to see how common people with real Alzheimer’s cope ( not the mild type in early stage)?
3. It is terribly terribly unforgivably unbritish.
God bless 2008.
Cheers
Yes, So many winters have been passed idly in the promise of the summers. Well now, spring is here, almost - which means more travelling, more sports and less online time.Personally speaking it's marvellous because this winter has been an enlightenment of sorts: Buddha under the bandwidth tree.
We were told that information is a commodity of our times and hence an invaluable tool of transaction/interaction rendering the internet a priceless infinity. But the more time one spends on the internet the more one realises the grand futility of it all. While I shall put up my hand first and say internet has most definitely made information more accessible, I suppose it is but only in terms of the means and the ease of finding it than anything else. What needed a bit of digging and jouly smiles and take cares to the grumpy librarians before has been transformed into just typing into sacred search space of Google. Good. And that’s about it. Nothing more.
Coming to the much hyped user generated content - I must say it is almost terrifying. As we speak millions of snaps are uploaded on the flickr and garage video uploaded on youtube with a million comments that follow representing the culture of our times. Fine, but it makes you wonder if all these are really a substitute for the real? What it has achieved is only to make pockets of populations reinforcing extant attitudes and mentalities, the danger of which I think is that it would hardly let you come to realise your own position in the real holistic world.
The same applies to blogging. We were told it would herald a generation of new democracy. That the culture would grow exponentially subsequent to the blogging interaction. All such prophecies much as I had predicted have been unfounded. Real journalism continues to be as strong as ever. Blogging has settled into a hackney of a dynamic: you post something which means a penny more to you than other trivia and it would be admired or discussed by a group of select bloggers who are or become your group. And such groups exchange banalities endlessly.
Any differences of opinion from outside is scorned upon and fiercely crushed down. So where exactly is the democracy? It has brought forth easy access to other’s stupidities. As I mentioned before, the lack of meaningful exchange makes you firmer in your beliefs depriving you of your knowledge in the realistic world. Feminists just seek out feminists blogs and bloggers, while the technology enthusiasts continue to be engrossed in their technology discussions. Status Quo.
Plus there are some insecure noises made about saving your identity while blogging. That’s a whine from a person too much in love with his/her opinion. Anonymity is going to be history soon. And Handles would be frowned upon in less than ten years. Hmmm.
On the positive side here are some interesting status messages I found on gtalk:
..wants to grow up and become Bill Murray.
..happened, he cant be reduced to a set of influences.
..MTV presents Stephen Hawking unplugged.
..Haat baaais enge?
..Love is never having to say sorry. Bitch.
..making pills for poverty.
..busy fuck off.
+++
Among other things, a quick peek at the Daily mail yesterday ( No I don’t read just picked up at the lounge) showed that, included in the £25 Million-McCartney-Mills divorce settlement was £30000 for flowers and chocolates. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot bitch? Not a single frigging tongue of a Feminist would want to speak about it.+++
And picture this: You worked hard all your life and saved a bit of money for your old age. Gave a good bit of your young life to fight a big war so your future generation might enjoy a free life. And when you are old you happened to have Alzheimer’s Dementia and your savings exceeded £ 22000 then the UK government would pay for your care in a desolate nursing or care home and confiscate all your belongings inc. the savings. That’s a negative about socialist medicine. But I’m not against it, works for most of the folks. Contrast that against a famous writer, diagnosed with a rare variant of Alzheimer's at an early stage because he couldnt type the word -else and being able to not only pay for his treatment but also donate a chunk to charity. But what itches me about people like Terry Pratchett who made a fortune by telling fantasy tales is not being able to just shut up and face the reality, keep their private affairs private. Why shouldn’t I talk? is the rhetoric he uses. Because Mr Pratchett,
1. If your next book sales hit a high we wouldn’t know if it is sympathy?
2. You got to have a look around to see how common people with real Alzheimer’s cope ( not the mild type in early stage)?
3. It is terribly terribly unforgivably unbritish.
+++
And we knew about this financial roll down to come as far as in october, the Americans though seem to be in denial. I still wonder how raising money for a huge election, funding a war outside, and cutting interest rates in response to Market having a panic attack everytime going to solve this?God bless 2008.
+++
Does anyone know who was the genius of the babu who has handled the Taslima Nasreen send off, its a smooth stroke of genius.+++
Lastly, A380 finally made the Heathrow call amidst much fan-fare reminiscent of glorious kingdoms. Its as much as a marvel of a machine as the ipod, but, only at the other end. I saw it last year and it is humungous. But hang on even after 100 odd years of flying we still cant have sex on air? Shame really.Cheers
2 comments:
please do keep ricocheting. there's steam building in yer writing.
Tanks.
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