Fukk you, new Internet

My first contact with the Internet, or rather the version of the Internet that was available to the public, occurred in 1995. That is, eighteen years ago as if this writing. I am not going to do stupid things and go on about how it has changed or how I prefer the Internet as it was, or that kind of shit. Things change for a reason, regardless of whether they change for good or ill. And trying to stop change is like trying to stop death.

So, apparently Barack Obama is President again…

(Note: Following is an article I wrote during my time offline, maybe hours after the 2012 election results were announced. Barack Obama is a lot like other Democrat Presidents in that he continually alternates between giving me hope and utterly disappointing me. Regardless of which way you choose to look at it, however, the events of the last few months say that change on multiple levels is needed in political systems throughout the world.)

I have been off the real Internet (that is, without a permanent connection in the place where I rest my head) for a little while. But what I saw through web pages on a ‘phone both warmed my heart and reminded me of just how sick the world I am living in really is. There have been a few different news pieces that made me blink and say “what in the unholy fukk?”, but almost all of them filter back to American President Barack Obama winning a second term.

This is what our media has come to (aka Alan Jones is an asshole).

The introduction of mass communication after the industrial revolution, like many changes brought about by the industrial revolution, had both good and bad effects. When the radio was the dominant medium, large groups of people could be warned of impending danger, or told of events in the community, all at once with minimal effort. When television was invented, the potential to educate children in the basics of language and mathematics was quickly realised.

Keeping the good to oneself. Sharing it with others. The conflict betwixt.

Readers of this publication and all of the things linked to or referenced therein will have noticed a bit of a lean towards unhappy, dark, even scary news. Or outright condemnations of some despicable behaviour, in some major cases. I am sure that it makes the world that I inhabit seem very scary, rotten, or outright evil. And on rare occasions, one will get the sort of person who does not know any better asking why no good news is forthcoming, or why references to good elements in the world the author inhabits are forthcoming.

Dear Fudgebook (aka more reasons why monopolies are bad)

It started a matter of weeks ago. I have attempted in every manner I know to make my anger at this known, but Fudgebook makes it virtually impossible to file an actual complaint about the service. Instead, when they alter the interface so that it gives certain people headaches to look at, one is expected to either grin and bear it, or move elsewhere.

What we need for the future of media, all media.

It was a few days ago, but after linking to this article on TNL.net, and now this one, I got to thinking a wee bit. During my lifetime, we have seen a massive deregulation spree, the birth of the home computer market, and the acceleration of communications technology to the point where it is now cheaper to “speak” to someone across the world than it can sometimes be to speak to someone across town. But as with all advances in technology such as home viewing, the prospect of improving the Human condition or situation in future is being threatened. Not by an enemy with ill intent, but rather by an element of stupidity, thoughtlessness, or carelessness within our own ranks.