Connectivity Without Expectation

Great interview on the Kojo Nnamdi Show today. Discussing the culture of online voyeurism that we're living in these days:

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2009-12-29/peep-culture-age-oversharing-rebroadcast

It's really hit home on how I've been feeling for about two years, now. I just identified it recently, but it occurs to me that what I've been working towards for the last two years isn't a committed relationship with a woman, but instead a "fan"

The guest touches on the concept of how narcissistic it is to rant out into the abyss on your Facebook page (or blog... heh.) and awaiting the adulation.

Very interesting broadcast, and very worthwhile to think about that in my own life. Am I actively engaging people just for the connection, but carefully avoiding setting up any expectations? Usually...

Privacy vs. Security

A great blurb from Bruce Schneier about America's current struggle between privacy and security. He makes the great point that it's really not about privacy vs. security, as it is about freedom vs. control:

Schneier on Security

Star Trek: Next Generation

Remember back when you had time to play video games all day?

Project Label

If you're trying to be socially responsible, you might find this little site helpful:

https://www.projectlabel.org/

They allow people to sign up to write article reviews of the company, and they use that information to create a "Social Nutritional Value" label for that company. Pretty neat stuff!

Bill Hicks

The world is like a ride at an amusement park. It goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: Is this real, or is this just a ride? And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "Hey - don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because, this is just a ride...” But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok. Jesus - murdered; Martin Luther King - murdered; Malcolm X - murdered; Gandhi - murdered; John Lennon - murdered; Reagan... wounded. But it doesn't matter because: It's just a ride. And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money that we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace. ~Bill Hicks

Yellow Cake Animation

I found this short, interesting animation to be fascinating! Definitely worth a quick watch!

Yellow Cake from Nick Cross on Vimeo.

fantastic funny animal cartoon featuring geopolitical bullying, social unrest, worker revolt, and some tasty yellow cakes.

(Via boingboing)

Imogen Heap

Let Go




Excellent live performance.

This song is the reason I left my small home town and went off to "The Big City". The desire was always there, but after listening to this song over and over again, it became like a mantra: "Leg go, jump in, it's all amazing here"

Looking back, seeing who I am now and remembering who I was then, I can absolutely confirm. Let go. Jump in. It's all amazing here!

Right Wing Dad

Awesome! Related to my Snopes.com post below, I've come across this site:

http://www.myrightwingdad.net/

"a museum dedicated to following the course of American history through a unique lens -- the emails "Red-America" forwards worldwide. Take a look around the archive using the keywords below, and leave a comment or two."

Also, one of the comments from that site, handily points to a FactCheck.org article regarding the Snopes.com email posted earlier. Of course, we all know that FactCheck is a liberal lackey, too, but hey! It's kind of nice to have someone else go through the email's points and discredit them one by one.

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/snopescom/

Gay bar or Steakhouse?

Very fun:

http://www.steakhouseorgaybar.com/

(via: BoingBoing)

Making the Skeptics Skeptical

I received this email today.

Notice, of course, the "Fwd: Fw" I've redacted the headers and spared you the garish, multiple font changes, and provided simply the text.

Some people have known that Snopes.com was kind of a shady organization for years. Personally, I'm particularly fond of the XKCD comic about it.

During the last presidential election, I had heard similar accusations about FactCheck.org. Stories about how if you follow the ownership up the chain, you'll eventually arrive back at Barack Obama.

The purpose of these emails and "questioning" is two-fold.

On the one side, it's sneering rebuke. It's supposed to be "proof" that all those Snopes articles you've sent along are wrong. In your misguided attempt to help along the slow, gullible ones who are falling farther and farther behind the rest of the herd, you've unfortunately hurt some feelings. So, no more. If they're sure that Miller Lite is really going to give away free beer, or are terrified about leaving the house on Halloween, just let them stay that way.

The other purpose here is not to enlighten people regarding the veracity or bias of Snopes' or FactCheck's research, but instead as a political ploy to cast doubt on an impartial third party. The message is clear, "Do not trust [Snopes/Factcheck/FoxNews/CNN/New York Times]. You can only trust me."

Catharsis Vs. Narcissism

What's the purpose of all this? I'm sure some of it is simple catharsis. Sure, it just feels good to _purge_ And sure, some part of it must be narcissism. Why else, right?

But looking deeper, I realize that some of the point here is exactly that:

wanting to look deeper.

It's so easy just to spew your mental contents to a Facebook note and walk away.

But these are on file for me. I want to write them, and keep writing them. I want to look deeper, and I want to come back later and look at my own scribblings.