Remember when the internet used to be interesting? Back when there were homemade websites, chatrooms, and no real names?
The internet used to be a sea of anonymity and now it is has become the complete opposite. Instead of creating who you want to be and searching for new people out in the world, we're doing it totally backwards now people are just creating a mirror image of their real life and reconnecting with people they already know. It's like we got a new computer program here at the office and have years of back log to catch up on to be current. A program that finds everyone from your past and pulls them into present time with you. And once that's done, you just have to keep to program current by staying up to date on new people you've just met.
Why do we have this need to dig up every person from our past? What are we missing in our lives? Having everyone we've ever known at the touch of our fingertips can make it extremely difficult to have closure.
Remember the movie hackers? They sure loved their rollerblades. Do they still exist? Did they ever? I mean obviously hackers exist but what about that crazy almost rave culture that loves The Prodigy and instead of getting off on drugs they get off on "cracking the mainframe" in a secret room at the warehouse party. I imagine hackers of today to be just plain regular people in their plain regular apartments or sometimes those internet basement places with their buddies. A lot of defrauding personal accounts through fake emails and such but that's hardly glamourous.
So this is where the internet has taken us. From a chaotic and ethereal virtual world of made up identities, to a cold hard surface of reality. And I for one hate this new rehabilitated and sober internet.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Did I Ever Tell You
About the time I found some deer carcasses in a clearing in the woods?
It was weird.
It was weird.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
shitharperdid.ca
I couldn't resist. As the election approached, I found myself increasingly engaged in the Harper vs. Us debates and like so many other educated Canadians, horrified at the things this man has gotten away with. So, I went against my own advice and commented on a Globe & Mail article about the powerful grassroots ad campaign led by shitharperdid.ca, in reply to all the baby boomers patronizing us and thinking we are a pampered, useless generation.
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Hey baby boomers, why don't you take a look in the mirror and see who is really to blame for "youth of today"?
It's your selfish and money hungry generation that has made our world uninhabitable and unaffordable. It's YOU who raised us this way, apathetic and unable to buy property or start families. Check out this article from Macleans last year "Are we raising our boys to be underachieving men?":
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/10/18/raising-our-boys
We are criticized for not caring and not doing anything so finally we pulled together and decided that we aren't going to be talked down to anymore, and all you can do is make fun of us? Patronize us? What does combed hair have to do with anything? The people in the videos are just regular, normal people who want to make a difference. We aren't selling you with sex or celebrities - is that what you want? What would you have to say if you had only heard the videos and not seen them? You are jumping to so many illogical conclusions and it doesn't make any sense. Do you actually think that "hipsters" would do all this work just to be cool? What is wrong with you? Seriously?
Typical of the older generation, you fear the loss of control. No matter who you support, conservative or otherwise, you should be proud that youth are finally standing up for themselves, it shouldn't matter what they look like. Rock the Vote is an unsuccessful campaign because they still seem to be out of touch with the younger generation; it's founder, Jeff Ayeroff, is 64 years old. Get a bunch of bands and famous people to tell us to vote? This campaign is genius because it's not just telling us what to do, it's telling us why and it's 100% from our peers; it's not Ryan Gosling telling us to vote. It is informing us in a way that is easily accessible and relevant to our lifestyle. And you may not like it but that's too bad because the world is changing.
I'm a 29 year old female, university educated and with a successful career and yet I have been paying off my student loans for the last 7 years, making any further advances in life next to impossible. The older generations have made it very, very hard to become established in society nowadays - it's not the same as when the baby boomer generation was twenty-something and that's exactly why we need to get the right people in office who see this.
We are a lot smarter than we are given credit for. This whole debate feels like that time in your life when your parents have a hard time accepting that you're an "adult" and not a teenager anymore.
You've belittled us, made fun of us, disrespected us, and most of all, you've underestimated us. Time to wake up because we aren't going anywhere.
-------
Hey baby boomers, why don't you take a look in the mirror and see who is really to blame for "youth of today"?
It's your selfish and money hungry generation that has made our world uninhabitable and unaffordable. It's YOU who raised us this way, apathetic and unable to buy property or start families. Check out this article from Macleans last year "Are we raising our boys to be underachieving men?":
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/10/18/raising-our-boys
We are criticized for not caring and not doing anything so finally we pulled together and decided that we aren't going to be talked down to anymore, and all you can do is make fun of us? Patronize us? What does combed hair have to do with anything? The people in the videos are just regular, normal people who want to make a difference. We aren't selling you with sex or celebrities - is that what you want? What would you have to say if you had only heard the videos and not seen them? You are jumping to so many illogical conclusions and it doesn't make any sense. Do you actually think that "hipsters" would do all this work just to be cool? What is wrong with you? Seriously?
Typical of the older generation, you fear the loss of control. No matter who you support, conservative or otherwise, you should be proud that youth are finally standing up for themselves, it shouldn't matter what they look like. Rock the Vote is an unsuccessful campaign because they still seem to be out of touch with the younger generation; it's founder, Jeff Ayeroff, is 64 years old. Get a bunch of bands and famous people to tell us to vote? This campaign is genius because it's not just telling us what to do, it's telling us why and it's 100% from our peers; it's not Ryan Gosling telling us to vote. It is informing us in a way that is easily accessible and relevant to our lifestyle. And you may not like it but that's too bad because the world is changing.
I'm a 29 year old female, university educated and with a successful career and yet I have been paying off my student loans for the last 7 years, making any further advances in life next to impossible. The older generations have made it very, very hard to become established in society nowadays - it's not the same as when the baby boomer generation was twenty-something and that's exactly why we need to get the right people in office who see this.
We are a lot smarter than we are given credit for. This whole debate feels like that time in your life when your parents have a hard time accepting that you're an "adult" and not a teenager anymore.
You've belittled us, made fun of us, disrespected us, and most of all, you've underestimated us. Time to wake up because we aren't going anywhere.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Importance of Stopping The Meter
The CRTC’s recent controversial decision to cap monthly internet use and charge exorbitant rates for overusage has made a lot of people very angry, including me. I’m not even certain I’m fully against usage-based billing if it was reasonably priced (which the proposed new plan is not) because I understand it makes sense the more you use, the more you should pay; what I’m mad about is the arrogance with which this policy was announced and the reasoning behind it.
The truth is, the CRTC’s justification does not make any sense, arguing that the money is needed to maintain and upkeep infrastructure. Why, then, is Canada the only country to have this problem? Because it’s a lie, that’s why. In fact, the more technology advances, the cheaper it gets. Simply put, they want us on the internet less and watching TV and commercials more. People need to look past the smoke and mirrors to see what is really behind this decision. I can guarantee that it is no coincidence that members of the CRTC board have deep roots in not only television and radio, but the very companies that would profit the most from a usage-based billing system; eg. Leonard Katz, Vice Chairmen of Communications of the CRTC: 17 year veteran of Rogers Group of Companies, as well as 9 year veteran at Bell Canada.
Corporations and their long-time politician buddies with the classic boys club mentalities unfortunately continue to control just about everything in the country and usually get away with it. However, I strongly think that a technological backlash from the younger generations is putting a stop to these closed door conspiracies and handshakes. Wikileaks was just the tip of the iceberg and we need to continue to fight back because we will win. The internet gives us a voice and power in numbers. My generation can be criticized for being apathetic voters and technological fiends who have a hard time paying attention to one thing at a time, however we have proven that we do have a voice, we do have power and we still do have a right to democracy despite continuous attempts to stifle it.
The baby boomer generation has made a lot of us younger people feel apathetic towards our political climate by outright lying in elections and constantly being involved in scandals to the point where we don’t even vote; it isn’t because we don’t care, it’s because it seems no matter what we say or want, it goes ignored because we know that generally the government is going to do whatever it wants to satisfy itself and top officials. And this entire CRTC billing debate is a prime example.
The disparity between our generations grows as fast as technology advances. It is ludicrous that a group of aging old timers with archaic views is in control of regulating technology they cannot even begin to understand. They have absolutely no idea what they are doing, no concept of how integral the internet is to a vast number of people decades younger than themselves. If the CRTC wanted this pill to go down a little easier they should have hired a PR team under the age of thirty who at least knew what “bandwidth” and a “gigabyte” were. Instead, they came up with an immeasurable and vague response that was probably scripted to them by Bell and said “this will do”. And now they’ve made their bed by insulting the intelligence of thousands of people.
We’re sharper than we’re given credit for and we demand explanations. The internet is not just a service anymore, it is quickly becoming an essential part of everyday life, one that we depend on for everything from communicating to learning to entertaining; there is no going backwards. It’s time for a new generation to take control and hold companies and governments accountable.
-----
CRTC Chair Quotes (Feb 4, 2011)
http://openmedia.ca/blog/classic-quotes-our-crtc-chair
CRTC Internet decision gouges users (Feb 3, 2011)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/CRTC+Internet+decision+gouges+users/4215043/story.html
Big companies throttle Internet to favour their own content (Feb 2, 2011)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/companies+throttle+Internet+favour+their+content/4207670/story.html
CRTC will rescind ‘unlimited use’ Internet decision – or Ottawa will overturn it (Feb 2, 2011)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/tories-to-overturn-crtc-decision-on-bandwith-billing/article1892522/
New Internet Usage Caps Hurt Canadians (Jan 30, 2011)
http://www.channelcanada.com/Article5436.html
CRTC Top Officials
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/about/commissioners.htm
Stop The Meter On Your Internet Use
http://stopthemeter.ca
The truth is, the CRTC’s justification does not make any sense, arguing that the money is needed to maintain and upkeep infrastructure. Why, then, is Canada the only country to have this problem? Because it’s a lie, that’s why. In fact, the more technology advances, the cheaper it gets. Simply put, they want us on the internet less and watching TV and commercials more. People need to look past the smoke and mirrors to see what is really behind this decision. I can guarantee that it is no coincidence that members of the CRTC board have deep roots in not only television and radio, but the very companies that would profit the most from a usage-based billing system; eg. Leonard Katz, Vice Chairmen of Communications of the CRTC: 17 year veteran of Rogers Group of Companies, as well as 9 year veteran at Bell Canada.
Corporations and their long-time politician buddies with the classic boys club mentalities unfortunately continue to control just about everything in the country and usually get away with it. However, I strongly think that a technological backlash from the younger generations is putting a stop to these closed door conspiracies and handshakes. Wikileaks was just the tip of the iceberg and we need to continue to fight back because we will win. The internet gives us a voice and power in numbers. My generation can be criticized for being apathetic voters and technological fiends who have a hard time paying attention to one thing at a time, however we have proven that we do have a voice, we do have power and we still do have a right to democracy despite continuous attempts to stifle it.
The baby boomer generation has made a lot of us younger people feel apathetic towards our political climate by outright lying in elections and constantly being involved in scandals to the point where we don’t even vote; it isn’t because we don’t care, it’s because it seems no matter what we say or want, it goes ignored because we know that generally the government is going to do whatever it wants to satisfy itself and top officials. And this entire CRTC billing debate is a prime example.
The disparity between our generations grows as fast as technology advances. It is ludicrous that a group of aging old timers with archaic views is in control of regulating technology they cannot even begin to understand. They have absolutely no idea what they are doing, no concept of how integral the internet is to a vast number of people decades younger than themselves. If the CRTC wanted this pill to go down a little easier they should have hired a PR team under the age of thirty who at least knew what “bandwidth” and a “gigabyte” were. Instead, they came up with an immeasurable and vague response that was probably scripted to them by Bell and said “this will do”. And now they’ve made their bed by insulting the intelligence of thousands of people.
We’re sharper than we’re given credit for and we demand explanations. The internet is not just a service anymore, it is quickly becoming an essential part of everyday life, one that we depend on for everything from communicating to learning to entertaining; there is no going backwards. It’s time for a new generation to take control and hold companies and governments accountable.
-----
CRTC Chair Quotes (Feb 4, 2011)
http://openmedia.ca/blog/classic-quotes-our-crtc-chair
CRTC Internet decision gouges users (Feb 3, 2011)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/CRTC+Internet+decision+gouges+users/4215043/story.html
Big companies throttle Internet to favour their own content (Feb 2, 2011)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/companies+throttle+Internet+favour+their+content/4207670/story.html
CRTC will rescind ‘unlimited use’ Internet decision – or Ottawa will overturn it (Feb 2, 2011)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/tories-to-overturn-crtc-decision-on-bandwith-billing/article1892522/
New Internet Usage Caps Hurt Canadians (Jan 30, 2011)
http://www.channelcanada.com/Article5436.html
CRTC Top Officials
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/about/commissioners.htm
Stop The Meter On Your Internet Use
http://stopthemeter.ca
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Why We Shouldn't Be Afraid to Die Alone
A few months ago I was visiting my grandmother in the nursing home where she now lives following an accident that left her unable to care for herself. Up until a couple of years ago she lived in a northern Ontario city by herself, alone in a big house ever since my grandfather died several years previous. She'd hire neighbours and odd jobbers to take care of her lawn and shovel snow from the driveway. And one day that all changed and she was never able to care for herself the same again.
As you can imagine, it's always an emotional experience to visit her and I feel endless guilt when it comes time to leave. She has nothing to do. Her life revolves around looking forward to the next visit from a family member and between those moments are spent gazing out the window. Day in, day out; it's enough to make one crazy. She doesn't enjoy group activities but prefers one on one conversations. Sadly, there is not a lot of that available where she lives.
I was trying to think of activities she could do to pass the time when no one is around but all I could think of was how awesome it would be if we could just set her up on a computer and she could reconnect with other aging friends who are still around and maybe even play some games. She'd have access to everything.
And it was then that I realized that when I'm old, I WILL know how to use computers, and I will be connected to people I know. My generation and all the ones after it are extremely good at being alone but not bored or lonely thanks to technology. We are resourceful and know how to access anything we want in under 10 seconds. By the time we are geriatrics we will probably be able to control computers using our mind only and thus won't be prohibited due to physical restrictions.
Worried about not having children to take care of you when you are old? Not necessary. With any luck you'll be so involved being young again playing Second Life you won't have any time for visitors anyways.
As you can imagine, it's always an emotional experience to visit her and I feel endless guilt when it comes time to leave. She has nothing to do. Her life revolves around looking forward to the next visit from a family member and between those moments are spent gazing out the window. Day in, day out; it's enough to make one crazy. She doesn't enjoy group activities but prefers one on one conversations. Sadly, there is not a lot of that available where she lives.
I was trying to think of activities she could do to pass the time when no one is around but all I could think of was how awesome it would be if we could just set her up on a computer and she could reconnect with other aging friends who are still around and maybe even play some games. She'd have access to everything.
And it was then that I realized that when I'm old, I WILL know how to use computers, and I will be connected to people I know. My generation and all the ones after it are extremely good at being alone but not bored or lonely thanks to technology. We are resourceful and know how to access anything we want in under 10 seconds. By the time we are geriatrics we will probably be able to control computers using our mind only and thus won't be prohibited due to physical restrictions.
Worried about not having children to take care of you when you are old? Not necessary. With any luck you'll be so involved being young again playing Second Life you won't have any time for visitors anyways.
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