Of course everyone has the right to protect their interests. If you write and perform a nice song, somebody else shouldn't just be able to take credit for it. If you spent time and effort to bring a handy product to the public, somebody else should compensate you for it.
However the way music labels, software publishers, movie studios have decided to protect their interests is bordering on the ridiculous. One recent prime example is here. One game has a specific install limitation that prevents people from installing it on several different computers. However, even if you have legitimate reason to reinstall your game (you have a new hard disk, your computer crashes, you temporarily need the space for something else, or god forbid you want to play the game again after several years) the game does not recognize it as such. Therefore if you run out of installs you have to buy the game again!
Again, I respect the rights of people to protect their properties, but the way they're doing it is unsavory. They are pretty much deciding how we should be using our time, control the way we should act.
People will and should do everything in their power to prevent that. Otherwise an innocent hobby is quickly turning into a time waster.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
More sports observations
- Tiger won another one. Apparently he won after coming back from tons of shots down on day one. And he did so playing on half a knee. And instead of golf clubs he used a tree branch. Aren't the media playing this up more than it needs to be?
- I'm surprised the media didn't play up the revenge aspect of Holland - Romania more. I mean Romania did beat Holland for top spot in the qualification group right? Especially since Holland didn't have anything left to play for, having already qualified for the quarter finals, they could have used another reason for motivating the troops. Instead the media only discussed whether or not Holland would throw the game. Interest in the game waned because of it. Too bad. The momentum from the Italy and France games could have been used here as well, and would have carried into the quarter final match.
- Celtics won another one, contrary to what I expected (11-4). There's a simple reason I missed this prediction: I underestimated how good of a player Paul Pierce would be in the series, overshadowing everybody else, including Kobe and the Big Ticket.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Excuses to meet
We didn't need many reasons to meet when we were little. You could come over simply because the new album of NSync came out, or the newest NES game. We could have study nights, sleepovers, birthday parties. We could go to the movies, skating rink, or the park. In fact, no excuse was needed to meet.
So much harder things are now. I always mention the big three reasons for people to visit each other again during adulthood: weddings, birthdays (or births), and funerals. (You could also add moving into a new home or a nationally televised football game to the list, but I haven't noticed that everybody uses these excuses universally to meet). I don't count Christmas and New Years, because those have fixed dates on the calendar.
Other excuses don't seem to be serious enough anymore. And it is true, no other reasons are serious institutions. Institutions I see as ingrained events in the social collective mind, traditional and heavy on rituals, and which are so important companies (should) have special arrangements for their workers for these. Nobody questions the authority of these events. People even get mad if they are not even considered for invitation to the event. And I do think only these three events fit the bill.
It's a pity though. We apparently had so many more reasons to meet when we were young, often making up our own institutions (beer night, initiation week, formula one grand prix, etc.). But when we finally grow up, we get stuck with the same institutions we always had. It's sad really. We basically cut off most of the opportunities to get into contact with the people we should keep in contact with. Now everything becomes a battle of priorities, personal schedules, responsibilities in the workplace and in the home, and also energy and health.
However, it is my solemn goal to create as many new, valuable institutions as possible, for as many friends and family as possible. I'll let you know, when I find them.
So much harder things are now. I always mention the big three reasons for people to visit each other again during adulthood: weddings, birthdays (or births), and funerals. (You could also add moving into a new home or a nationally televised football game to the list, but I haven't noticed that everybody uses these excuses universally to meet). I don't count Christmas and New Years, because those have fixed dates on the calendar.
Other excuses don't seem to be serious enough anymore. And it is true, no other reasons are serious institutions. Institutions I see as ingrained events in the social collective mind, traditional and heavy on rituals, and which are so important companies (should) have special arrangements for their workers for these. Nobody questions the authority of these events. People even get mad if they are not even considered for invitation to the event. And I do think only these three events fit the bill.
It's a pity though. We apparently had so many more reasons to meet when we were young, often making up our own institutions (beer night, initiation week, formula one grand prix, etc.). But when we finally grow up, we get stuck with the same institutions we always had. It's sad really. We basically cut off most of the opportunities to get into contact with the people we should keep in contact with. Now everything becomes a battle of priorities, personal schedules, responsibilities in the workplace and in the home, and also energy and health.
However, it is my solemn goal to create as many new, valuable institutions as possible, for as many friends and family as possible. I'll let you know, when I find them.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Random observations
- So you don't want me to tell you what you need, but to tell you what you already want... that's not really fair is it.
- You know what destiny is? It's not getting a goal disallowed which in any other game would have. It's having every drop of the ball fall your way. It's leaving the goal open for a score, and not concede one. That's destiny.
- If you can't commit, don't look as if you can. Don't trick people into thinking that. They deserve better.
- Apparently it only takes one game, one win, to bring an entire nation of career pessimists to change their apathy into ecstasy. It also takes that much to pretty much slash their collective IQ scores in half, as well as their ability to take rational decisions.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
A little farfetched
After about a century's worth of movies, television shows, literature you'd think scenario writers have run out of new ideas. Most of what we now get are sequels, rehashes, retellings, retcons, resets, prequels or just plain carbon copies. And after awhile people notice that trick, hence they find their way to more interactive kinds of entertainment like GTA (of which you have at least six games in one series).
To draw in the viewer to your story, scenario writers are taking things a little bit too far. Crystal Skulls? C'mon. Bruce Willis downing a jetfighter with a handgun? Yep. Freakin Mummies in China? Come and get 'em.
Few stories come out with even an ounce of realism. People are stuck with trick vehicles like real-time (24, Before Sunset), or flashbacks (How I met your mother, Memento). But a truly unique story? Can't find them. Haven't seen them. Or you would have to mean the artsy stuff (although that's more intended to shock rather than actually being intelligent).
So, if you have a link to a genuinely original story, please post it here. If I find a story similar to it, if it's part of a series, if I find it in a religious manual, it is disqualified.
To draw in the viewer to your story, scenario writers are taking things a little bit too far. Crystal Skulls? C'mon. Bruce Willis downing a jetfighter with a handgun? Yep. Freakin Mummies in China? Come and get 'em.
Few stories come out with even an ounce of realism. People are stuck with trick vehicles like real-time (24, Before Sunset), or flashbacks (How I met your mother, Memento). But a truly unique story? Can't find them. Haven't seen them. Or you would have to mean the artsy stuff (although that's more intended to shock rather than actually being intelligent).
So, if you have a link to a genuinely original story, please post it here. If I find a story similar to it, if it's part of a series, if I find it in a religious manual, it is disqualified.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
HHG: Lakers vs Celtics
No it's not a retro game review. We actually have an NBA Finals featuring the Lakers and the Celtics. Of course, this time no Magic and Bird, but rather Kobe and Pau versus Pierce and Garnett.
The Head says: What a difference a trade makes. To start the year Kobe trade rumors were still doing the rounds, but then L.A. brought in Pau Gasol and the entire complexion of the Western Conference changed. With Kobe, Gasol and Lamar Odom the Lakers have a star-studded starting line-up that rose to number one in the West.
That already happened at the start of the season in Boston, who got Kevin Garnett from Minnesota and Ray Allen from Seattle. All year the Celtics have been at or near the top of the East, and for a stretch at the start of the season they were thought to be unbeatable. However as the season wore on, the fatigue set in and the Celtics got their asses kicked handedly from time to time.
The Lakers' stars are younger, and in fact in their prime. They've had no physical problems whatsoever, and should be able to survive a slug-out with Boston.
Lakers says I.
The Heart says: I've always thought the Lakers would somehow rebuild a team that would once again be dominant in the next decade. In fact they are two years early. Boston has enjoyed a huge turn-around, going from last to first in a season. Seeing the age of the guys running the Celtics, Garnett and Allen are not going to have many more chances to win the NBA Championship. Kobe already has a couple of rings, and will have more chances if Gasol and Odom stick around.
Celtics says I. Just for the sake of it.
The Gut says: A throwback NBA Finals. Two old rivals colliding again. What new guard? Except in this case I do feel the Celtics are running on borrowed time. They'll play more desperate perhaps, but there's too many concerns here about the Celtics' durability. Celtics have to win quick and fast, something I would expect the Lakers to prevent handedly.
Lakers win in six.
The Head says: What a difference a trade makes. To start the year Kobe trade rumors were still doing the rounds, but then L.A. brought in Pau Gasol and the entire complexion of the Western Conference changed. With Kobe, Gasol and Lamar Odom the Lakers have a star-studded starting line-up that rose to number one in the West.
That already happened at the start of the season in Boston, who got Kevin Garnett from Minnesota and Ray Allen from Seattle. All year the Celtics have been at or near the top of the East, and for a stretch at the start of the season they were thought to be unbeatable. However as the season wore on, the fatigue set in and the Celtics got their asses kicked handedly from time to time.
The Lakers' stars are younger, and in fact in their prime. They've had no physical problems whatsoever, and should be able to survive a slug-out with Boston.
Lakers says I.
The Heart says: I've always thought the Lakers would somehow rebuild a team that would once again be dominant in the next decade. In fact they are two years early. Boston has enjoyed a huge turn-around, going from last to first in a season. Seeing the age of the guys running the Celtics, Garnett and Allen are not going to have many more chances to win the NBA Championship. Kobe already has a couple of rings, and will have more chances if Gasol and Odom stick around.
Celtics says I. Just for the sake of it.
The Gut says: A throwback NBA Finals. Two old rivals colliding again. What new guard? Except in this case I do feel the Celtics are running on borrowed time. They'll play more desperate perhaps, but there's too many concerns here about the Celtics' durability. Celtics have to win quick and fast, something I would expect the Lakers to prevent handedly.
Lakers win in six.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
HHG: NHL Stanley Cup Finals 2008
The Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings
The Prize: Right to call yourselves Holders of the Stanley Cup for a year.
The Heart: Gotta go with my namesake. Sidney Crosby is the reason people are tuning into hockey again (along with the Great 8) and nothing is cooler than having him captain his team to victory in the Finals. The franchise, a few years ago almost dead and buried, has regained the pride they had in the early nineties with Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux. Sidney could become the youngest captain ever to win the Stanley Cup. I wanna see that happen.
Penguins.
The Head: The Red Wings are winners of the President's Trophy for four of the last six seasons, and this season is the first time in a long while that they managed to hold their regular season form throughout the playoffs. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are savvy hockey players entering the prime of their careers, Chris Osgood is acting and playing fantastic, even supplanting Dominic Hasek. Yes, the Red Wings got exposed for short stretches against the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars, but they pulled together long enough to make the difference. The Penguins I think had it too easy in the Eastern Conference playoffs, with the Flyers, Rangers and Senators making too many mistakes and not mustering up enough punch to counter Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa. The Red Wings will be an opponent on a different scale, one Pittsburgh hasn't faced this post-season.
Red Wings.
The Gut: The last few years the team I felt for was the team that got killed in the playoffs. So I'm going to rationalize my choice here, and pick the Red Wings. I feel Detroit as a team is more mature and is ready to see the series through to the end. Sidney will have more chances to win the Cup, although one Alexander Ovechkin may have something to say about that in the coming years.
Detroit in six.
The Prize: Right to call yourselves Holders of the Stanley Cup for a year.
The Heart: Gotta go with my namesake. Sidney Crosby is the reason people are tuning into hockey again (along with the Great 8) and nothing is cooler than having him captain his team to victory in the Finals. The franchise, a few years ago almost dead and buried, has regained the pride they had in the early nineties with Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux. Sidney could become the youngest captain ever to win the Stanley Cup. I wanna see that happen.
Penguins.
The Head: The Red Wings are winners of the President's Trophy for four of the last six seasons, and this season is the first time in a long while that they managed to hold their regular season form throughout the playoffs. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are savvy hockey players entering the prime of their careers, Chris Osgood is acting and playing fantastic, even supplanting Dominic Hasek. Yes, the Red Wings got exposed for short stretches against the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars, but they pulled together long enough to make the difference. The Penguins I think had it too easy in the Eastern Conference playoffs, with the Flyers, Rangers and Senators making too many mistakes and not mustering up enough punch to counter Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa. The Red Wings will be an opponent on a different scale, one Pittsburgh hasn't faced this post-season.
Red Wings.
The Gut: The last few years the team I felt for was the team that got killed in the playoffs. So I'm going to rationalize my choice here, and pick the Red Wings. I feel Detroit as a team is more mature and is ready to see the series through to the end. Sidney will have more chances to win the Cup, although one Alexander Ovechkin may have something to say about that in the coming years.
Detroit in six.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
HHG: Champions League Final 2008
The Game: Manchester United vs. Chelsea
The Prize: The UEFA Champions League Trophy, and title of European Club Champion in soccer.
The Heart says: Manchester United; It was an emotional moment back in 1999 when the Mancunians defeated Bayern Munich in stoppage time to win the Champions League. They were pretty much down for the entire game and were seconds away from losing, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Solskjaer scored the goals that put United in the winner's circle. While I don't see a similar rollercoaster of emotions occurring this time around, the team I feel the most for, is the one from Manchester. It will be Ryan Giggs' record breaking game (most appearances for United). It will be Edwin van der Sar's final big prize (I don't see Holland winning Euro 2008) before retirement. It will cap off a great double season for ManU, who have already pipped Chelsea to the Premiership title.
The Head says: eh... Slightly over a month ago Chelsea almost brought Manchester United down in the race for the Premiership, by defeating them and closing the gap in the league table. That could be the memory for the Blues to hold on to. They have to my account the better team, that should see them through in spite of the injuries to captain John Terry and attacking leader Didier Drogba. Frank Lampard might be able to help Chelsea to offset the individual brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo and sheer tenacity of Wayne Rooney. I'm leaning towards a tie, but having to pick one, I would have to say Chelsea.
The Gut says: This time I go for the heart. I'm pretty sure I don't get to see the game (unless they have a television connection in office), and I'm pretty sure I don't want to see Gary Neville's skinny arms holding any kind of trophy... but I feel Manchester has fewer problems heading into the game than Chelsea, less injuries and more peace of mind. Chelsea I feel has more to lose, having finally made it to the big dance without Jose Mourinho, and now they HAVE to win to prove their former manager wrong.
Man United - Chelsea 2-1
The Prize: The UEFA Champions League Trophy, and title of European Club Champion in soccer.
The Heart says: Manchester United; It was an emotional moment back in 1999 when the Mancunians defeated Bayern Munich in stoppage time to win the Champions League. They were pretty much down for the entire game and were seconds away from losing, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Solskjaer scored the goals that put United in the winner's circle. While I don't see a similar rollercoaster of emotions occurring this time around, the team I feel the most for, is the one from Manchester. It will be Ryan Giggs' record breaking game (most appearances for United). It will be Edwin van der Sar's final big prize (I don't see Holland winning Euro 2008) before retirement. It will cap off a great double season for ManU, who have already pipped Chelsea to the Premiership title.
The Head says: eh... Slightly over a month ago Chelsea almost brought Manchester United down in the race for the Premiership, by defeating them and closing the gap in the league table. That could be the memory for the Blues to hold on to. They have to my account the better team, that should see them through in spite of the injuries to captain John Terry and attacking leader Didier Drogba. Frank Lampard might be able to help Chelsea to offset the individual brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo and sheer tenacity of Wayne Rooney. I'm leaning towards a tie, but having to pick one, I would have to say Chelsea.
The Gut says: This time I go for the heart. I'm pretty sure I don't get to see the game (unless they have a television connection in office), and I'm pretty sure I don't want to see Gary Neville's skinny arms holding any kind of trophy... but I feel Manchester has fewer problems heading into the game than Chelsea, less injuries and more peace of mind. Chelsea I feel has more to lose, having finally made it to the big dance without Jose Mourinho, and now they HAVE to win to prove their former manager wrong.
Man United - Chelsea 2-1
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Vista is (the) shit
After finally getting to know Windows Vista a little bit, I can tell you one thing... and it's in the title of the article.
There's actually a lot to like. It looks very good and is quite helpful in making people remember the little tasks people should do on their computers. You know, simple things like updating drivers, and installing a virus scanner. I like the idea of having the performance index, which is a nice way of stimulating you to buy more hardware.
However Vista is far too smart for its own good. It keeps asking you if you really wanted to rename that file. YES, I DID. THAT'S WHY I CLICKED ON RENAME. And then it asks you again. Vista's Media Player is also extremely defensive, blocking all other applications from taking its music file associations. EVEN IF YOU DELIBERATELY INSTALL A SPECIFIC APPLICATION FOR IT.
Thing is, Vista is just trying to protect itself. However it is doing so by assuming the user in front of the screen is a complete moron. Considering I am the user, I find that highly insulting.
Vista as it is, will never be a viable option for business. It takes too many clicks to do something simple. Many clicks take time. Time is money. And more phrases like that.
There's actually a lot to like. It looks very good and is quite helpful in making people remember the little tasks people should do on their computers. You know, simple things like updating drivers, and installing a virus scanner. I like the idea of having the performance index, which is a nice way of stimulating you to buy more hardware.
However Vista is far too smart for its own good. It keeps asking you if you really wanted to rename that file. YES, I DID. THAT'S WHY I CLICKED ON RENAME. And then it asks you again. Vista's Media Player is also extremely defensive, blocking all other applications from taking its music file associations. EVEN IF YOU DELIBERATELY INSTALL A SPECIFIC APPLICATION FOR IT.
Thing is, Vista is just trying to protect itself. However it is doing so by assuming the user in front of the screen is a complete moron. Considering I am the user, I find that highly insulting.
Vista as it is, will never be a viable option for business. It takes too many clicks to do something simple. Many clicks take time. Time is money. And more phrases like that.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Emotional moments in sports
A little too American in this day and age, and the media made it a little more than it was, but back then this was one of the most courageous performances any athlete was able to do. The Olympic team gymnastics event saw the US team relying on Kerri Strug's vault to win the gold medal. However she got injured after a bad vault, and U.S. victory seemed lost. And then she tried again...
Make no mistake, Michael Jordan was the single reason the Chicago Bulls won anything in the NBA. His Last Shot Ever tm won the Bulls their sixth championship, en route to his retirement... which lasted all of three years, which he proceeded to tarnish with a stint as a Washington Wizard. Still the way he closed out his first (second, depending how you see it) career, was a story for the ages.
In NHL it seems all moderately good hockey players have their name enscribed in the Stanley Cup, which makes it more compelling if a genuine great player, a Hall of Famer, hasn't been able to do so during his career. Such was the case for Ray Bourque, who played 21 seasons without winning it all. His career was winding down, and he was in danger of notoriously becoming one of the greatest players never to win the Cup. The relief when he won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche, the class captain Joe Sakic showed when he handed the Cup immediately to Bourque, closed one of the most emotional Finals in NHL history.
The most dramatic finals win in UEFA Champions League history saw Manchester United defeat Bayern Munchen in 1999 in stoppage time, after having been down by a goal and almost being denied the coveted Treble. Note the distraught Sami Kuffour pounding the pitch. Note the arrogant smiles of Mario Basler and Lothar Matthaus being swiped away. Note all 8 foot of Peter Schmeichel do a cartwheel like a Chinese gymnast.
You can't feel more for one player than Pete Sampras. This one match here, against Jim Courier at the 1995 Aussie Open, forever set the legacy of Sampras from being a very good, but boring player, to the greatest champion tennis has known to date. Agonizing over his friend and coach Tim Gullikson, he managed to pull together just enough strength and courage to beat Courier.
Make no mistake, Michael Jordan was the single reason the Chicago Bulls won anything in the NBA. His Last Shot Ever tm won the Bulls their sixth championship, en route to his retirement... which lasted all of three years, which he proceeded to tarnish with a stint as a Washington Wizard. Still the way he closed out his first (second, depending how you see it) career, was a story for the ages.
In NHL it seems all moderately good hockey players have their name enscribed in the Stanley Cup, which makes it more compelling if a genuine great player, a Hall of Famer, hasn't been able to do so during his career. Such was the case for Ray Bourque, who played 21 seasons without winning it all. His career was winding down, and he was in danger of notoriously becoming one of the greatest players never to win the Cup. The relief when he won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche, the class captain Joe Sakic showed when he handed the Cup immediately to Bourque, closed one of the most emotional Finals in NHL history.
The most dramatic finals win in UEFA Champions League history saw Manchester United defeat Bayern Munchen in 1999 in stoppage time, after having been down by a goal and almost being denied the coveted Treble. Note the distraught Sami Kuffour pounding the pitch. Note the arrogant smiles of Mario Basler and Lothar Matthaus being swiped away. Note all 8 foot of Peter Schmeichel do a cartwheel like a Chinese gymnast.
You can't feel more for one player than Pete Sampras. This one match here, against Jim Courier at the 1995 Aussie Open, forever set the legacy of Sampras from being a very good, but boring player, to the greatest champion tennis has known to date. Agonizing over his friend and coach Tim Gullikson, he managed to pull together just enough strength and courage to beat Courier.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Dissing the Bauers and their wedding
Even if you're a moderately popular local artist, appealing to a certain cross section of the general population, how can you be so delusional that you expect hundreds, if not thousands of people to take time out of their lives to see you get married from about a 50 yards distance?
How can the media perpetuate that one person's marriage, a person I don't know, I don't follow, I don't want to follow, I certainly don't care about is more important than say the wedding of my friends... or for that matter more important than my responsibilities or my hobbies and other things I am interested in. Do you really think you're gonna earn my cash from this?
How misled is a national railways company (let me reiterate: national) that it would even consider extending a train to an insignificant place in the middle of freakin' nowhere?
I don't bloody care about Frans Bauer.
How can the media perpetuate that one person's marriage, a person I don't know, I don't follow, I don't want to follow, I certainly don't care about is more important than say the wedding of my friends... or for that matter more important than my responsibilities or my hobbies and other things I am interested in. Do you really think you're gonna earn my cash from this?
How misled is a national railways company (let me reiterate: national) that it would even consider extending a train to an insignificant place in the middle of freakin' nowhere?
I don't bloody care about Frans Bauer.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Ironman
I'm glad they actually got around to make an Ironman movie. I mean that I'd rather see Ironman on the silver screen than for example Daredevil, Ghost Rider or Elektra. And given the impression Tobey Maguire makes on me, I could even do without Spiderman too. I do realize that it takes quite some computing power to render a convincing Ironman, something that was not possible ten years ago. But a great story can be told anytime. That's why I got into the Ironman comics first, without all the CGI animations.
Thankfully that story translates well to the movie screen. Bit of an elaborate backstory, but considering the average Marvel superhero history, this one is not that far-fetched, and even conforms to the contemporary setting.
There's some great physical comedy from Downey jr., who has given the character enough depth for the audience to respect him, yet is able to completely charm his way with banter and pure wit.
The product placement is really noticeable throughout the movie, although when it's about R8s I tend to overlook that fact and focus on the fact that Audi makes really impressive supercars.
Anyway, I will again get the DVD as soon as it's released. However be sure to catch it in the cinema, and whatever you do... STAY AFTER THE CREDITS.
Thankfully that story translates well to the movie screen. Bit of an elaborate backstory, but considering the average Marvel superhero history, this one is not that far-fetched, and even conforms to the contemporary setting.
There's some great physical comedy from Downey jr., who has given the character enough depth for the audience to respect him, yet is able to completely charm his way with banter and pure wit.
The product placement is really noticeable throughout the movie, although when it's about R8s I tend to overlook that fact and focus on the fact that Audi makes really impressive supercars.
Anyway, I will again get the DVD as soon as it's released. However be sure to catch it in the cinema, and whatever you do... STAY AFTER THE CREDITS.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
May Video Bonanza!
Some old videos to start off your May vacations:
First some good old Knight Rider getting ScrewAttacked...
And to make up for that travesty, some Evolution of Dance from 2006...
I'm actually happy that some of these songs never caught on over here.
First some good old Knight Rider getting ScrewAttacked...
And to make up for that travesty, some Evolution of Dance from 2006...
I'm actually happy that some of these songs never caught on over here.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Experience vs. Technology
The most truthful thing I've read so far this year, is from an interview with Claudia de Breij. She's lamenting the fact that technology has pretty much screwed up society to the point where experience does not count, unless it was recorded, photoshopped to make it look nicer, and put on Youtube. People go to concerts, parties, sports games, and instead of experiencing the event live, they just squint through a cell phone camera. And what is it good for? Just to have proof that you were actually there, while you could get nicer and better pictures from the professional photographers working around the event.
Games used to be around a table, whether it be a card game or a a board game. Now you play World of Warcraft in solitude, with thousands of others doing exactly the same thing, but not in the same room. And what is that good for? No matter the voice-over-ip, IM, live-action video, how can you honestly say you connected with someone for real, if the only experience you have with someone is his dwarf avatar in Azeroth?
Sometimes things shouldn't be recorded for later. Experience comes from being in the moment. Not from watching a copy.
Games used to be around a table, whether it be a card game or a a board game. Now you play World of Warcraft in solitude, with thousands of others doing exactly the same thing, but not in the same room. And what is that good for? No matter the voice-over-ip, IM, live-action video, how can you honestly say you connected with someone for real, if the only experience you have with someone is his dwarf avatar in Azeroth?
Sometimes things shouldn't be recorded for later. Experience comes from being in the moment. Not from watching a copy.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Next Encounter
You know what happens when you meet someone friendly, cute and nice, years later, for the first time in a long time?
- You get distracted.
- You make mistakes.
- You bump into things, more often than not knocking them over.
- You miss cues, beats, signals and whatnot.
- You lose money. Lots of it.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Royal Dutch Airlines disses the Hoff
The latest commercial campaign to bring Internet Check-In to the masses is not exactly respectful of the former Baywatch star:
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
You might as well get paid in guilder
With the euro now worth $ 1.60, and a barrel of oil almost $ 120, you might say that our U.S. friends haven't been able to keep their value up well. Just think that at the NFL Draft this weekend some poor sap will be drafted first and earn a multi-million dollar contract, which in Europe will just get him as far as McDonald's. He won't be able to drive around lots, because his monthly wages can't even get him halfway past The Hague.
That's it. I'm buying a house in Malibu.
That's it. I'm buying a house in Malibu.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Cause and effect
Funny how that works. You drive fast on a particular stretch of road, people build speed bumps on said road. You drive fast over the same speed bumps, people make the speed bumps higher. People get pissed off with the cars bouncing off the speed bumps, so they lower them again.
End result: we still drive fast over this stretch of road.
End result: we still drive fast over this stretch of road.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Too Late To Go Another Way
The way people are protesting the Summer Olympics in Beijing is ridiculous. Of course protesting the way the country handles human rights is all good and well, but why would you wait until now? You know since 2001 that the Games are going to be held here. And it's not like Tibet and Taiwan are issues that just happened to pop up four months before the Games.
If you wanted to protest, you should have protested then. They could have still gone another way. Now people have trained years to get to the Olympics, businesses have signed multi-billion dollar contracts for merchandising, people have a vested interest in the running of the Games. And you think any of them will be persuaded to boycott the biggest event of the summer, just because you were to negligent or lazy to do something about it seven years ago?
The genuine nobility of a protest has a day of expiration. That date has passed sometime around the 2002 holiday season. Also, any protest coming less than four months before the start of the Olympics, is just a way for adolescents to plead for attention. There's nothing genuine about it, and I would be hard pressed to be convinced otherwise.
But you can always try.
If you wanted to protest, you should have protested then. They could have still gone another way. Now people have trained years to get to the Olympics, businesses have signed multi-billion dollar contracts for merchandising, people have a vested interest in the running of the Games. And you think any of them will be persuaded to boycott the biggest event of the summer, just because you were to negligent or lazy to do something about it seven years ago?
The genuine nobility of a protest has a day of expiration. That date has passed sometime around the 2002 holiday season. Also, any protest coming less than four months before the start of the Olympics, is just a way for adolescents to plead for attention. There's nothing genuine about it, and I would be hard pressed to be convinced otherwise.
But you can always try.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Spelling chequer
I may be mistaken, but lately spelling seems to be a problem for more and more people. Not just on forums and IMs, but also in serious documentation, newspapers, advertisements and leaflets, even on television (although thankfully, not as prevalent as the others). Where does this come from? My generation got regular writing exercises, and we would get bad grades if we wrote the way people do now.
And it's not even about new words, internet memes or new spelling either. People don't seem to understand something straightforward like the difference between 'lose' and 'loose', 'then' and 'than'.
My theory is that after some time in affluence, a society stops caring about the old rules, and relies more on the fact that people can't be bothered to phone in every single spelling error, and be branded either a boring git or a grammar nazi. Without sounding like one, I think it's a matter of courtesy and respect to communicate in the same way as your audience, or if you don't know the audience make the communication as neutral as possible. This way you don't insult anyone, or intrude in anyone's business.
And it's not even about new words, internet memes or new spelling either. People don't seem to understand something straightforward like the difference between 'lose' and 'loose', 'then' and 'than'.
My theory is that after some time in affluence, a society stops caring about the old rules, and relies more on the fact that people can't be bothered to phone in every single spelling error, and be branded either a boring git or a grammar nazi. Without sounding like one, I think it's a matter of courtesy and respect to communicate in the same way as your audience, or if you don't know the audience make the communication as neutral as possible. This way you don't insult anyone, or intrude in anyone's business.
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