Damn Electricity Allergies

Three quick stories here. Usually when I read or decide to put something up here it because it's cool or a technoloigcal advance but these three stories just made me laugh for some reason. The first talks about the newest allergy to hit mankind, a hyper-sensitivity to electricity. While I was reading this article I thought to myself, this article could totally be in the onion. The phrasing they use to describe the problem can't come off sounding serious because the freakin problem is hyper sensitivity to electricity. I don't doubt that this is actually a problem because I recognize some of the symptoms in myself, it just sounds stupid.

The second article is really not that funny. But they do refer to Iran's weblog community as "Weblogistan". Totally worth reading the article for.

I won't even post the last article which is an interview with Steve Ballmer (The CEO of Microsoft). Only the last part is funny anyway when he said that his kids are not allowed to own iPods or use Google. Between this and this dude throwing chairs at people, I am tempted to name him Chief dictator of Microsoft...

Oh Debra!

Oh Debra, Debra! This kid is 14 years old and he got to hit that?! The fact that she is not going to jail means our justice sytem is not totally lost. I don’t know man, I know we should call it a crime but they are goiung to let her off just because that 14 year old must have received the proportional benefits to what she is losing. She’s losing her job and her ability to be around kids plus house arrest for 3 years. He gets to tell this story forever. All is well.

Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200

Just heard about this game. I have downloaded the .pdf's and expect to keep all my civil liberties and not end up in GITMO, but apparently that happens to a lot of people who play. If you manage to win, please let me know that it's possible.

Real Life Game

I've seen movies and read books about real world adventure games. The running man with Arnold Swartznegger comes to mind. This however is some pretty cool isht. I can't wait till they build one in NYC, I am definitely going. Who's with me?

Wrist Tech, When Even a 3lb Laptop is too Big...

A European company know as Eurotech has introduced the WWPC (Wrist Worn PC). The device can run either linux or Windows CE. This is a pretty sleek looking device and probably the pre-cursor to a whole generartion of ultra powerful/ultra portable devices...that are actually worth using. There have been a few devices that have boasted high computing performance in your pocket. There was the OQO Pocket sized laptop that made a big splash but has not really taken off quite yet (IMO). Partially because of price I think, partially because people have not warmed up to the idea of having so much personal info and power in their pocket. People are just starting to get used to the idea of having mutltiple computers and storage devices, this all-in-one maybe was a little ahead of it's time, although it does look like the shiznite. The WWPC is a little more kitchy, for those of us that like to pretend that the future is now. Honestly, the real appeal of this thing is that it sits on your wrist like a watch (albeit a huge one) and you can just whip it out if someone asks you the time. No reaching into your pocket or your bag, its always handy and guaranteed to draw a lot of looks. Since it's still conceptual, don't plan on buying one yet. Maybe by release time they would have made it a lot smaller.

RFID, the Mark of the Beast?!?!

Here is an interesting article in Wired Magazine touting the explosion in RFID as a sign of nasty things to come. The article draws many reference to the book of revelations (which has come to be the butt of many jokes recently including the Simpson's episode about The Rapture) in which a mark of the beast (a demonic figure I can only assume) makes itself present on non-believers and basically signals the end of the world. I know you are probably thinking that this lady is totally off her rocker, but the article if taken at a more secular level does raise a few concerns about the new tracking technology. Take a look and don't be put off to much when she say's:

"If the VeriChip becomes a common payment device similar to the "contactless" payment system in the Exxon Mobil Speedpass, all who wish to buy and sell goods will be compelled "to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,"..."

When I see someone buying gas by putting their forehead against the pump station I just might believe that the end is near, Oh Save us Jebus!

Pharmaceutical Labels Don't Lie

You would think that people when taking drugs that are actually prescribed to them would adhere to the label and follow all directions with repect to how many you should take and what you can and cannot take it with. That makes sense to most rationale people, but in yet another example of the type of adults that live in this world and especially this country we find that not to be true. In an article I saw on AOL this morning (I think it actually is from the NY Times) a new drug is being blamed for driver impairedness. It's not some illegal substance though, it's Ambien which is the most popular sleep time drug in the US (not Lunesta although I like their commercials better). Now let me explain for various reasons I have taken Ambien and it has worked like a charm. I went to sleep and woke up feeling refreshed but a little weird the next day. All the same, I did not have hallucinations or sleep walking/driving as described in this article. I also was not drunk.

If I came up to you and you were a person with a sleeping disorder (which I don't think some of these people even had, I think they just wanted to sleep a little bit better) and told you "Here, Down this bottle of wine and take these two pills of this pharmaceutical grade sleep agent" would you do it? I would not, most smart people wouldn't as that just sounds like a retarded idea. Yet the people in a lot of these cases while not downing a whole bottle of wine were having a glass of wine, or a couple of beers or whatever. Then they end up driving into polls or urinating in the middle of roads. My favorite is the story of the guy who "became like the incredible hulk" after having two single servings of wine and taking two Ambien on an airplane. How in the hell does taking a sleep aid make you freak out so much you rip off your shirt and start terrorizing an airplane, then not remember any of it? I don't believe that all these people are lying about the experinces they went through, just that they are stupid. "They really need to tell people what this stuff will do to you" remarked one user who apparently slept drove into a car then fled from that scene only to drive into a tree. I say you really need to stop not paying attention to the directions on a bottle of pills you get from your doctor. And what is the company supposed to say "The use of this product might turn you into a driving zombie and cause you to embarass and/or kill yourself and many others in your vicinity". This is not freakin resident evil people, take some responsibility for yourself.

Constant Connection is Not The Beginning of Solaria...

In one of Isaac Asimov's many novels "The Naked Sun", he describes a planet known as Solaria. This planet was settled by those that favored robotic assistance in most of lives ventures as opposed to the anti-robot movement (both schools of thought originate from earth, the original world of course). While these two groups clashed greatly when they're first created, they now slightly resembled each other with the non-robotisists using robots sparingly and the robot lovers, well, really loving to use their robots. On the planet of Solaria, robotic use as well as technology had evolved so much that people were living well past our present life expectancies and into their hundreds. This planet sounds awesome until you are told that real life human interaction was not only rare it was thought of as dirty and shameful. People would not even think of talking to each other face to face, much less going to each others compounds (which were spaced out far enough that you could roam your property for hours and not see another human being). Of course this lack of human interaction had it's obvious downsides and eventually but slowly began to crumble by the end of the story (which involved a murder of a scientist which no one could figure out because no human would ever get that close and robots were supposedly governed by three laws that kept them from committing such acts).

Solaria was an extreme case painted by the author for fictional purposes, but people have begun to see our advancements in technology (namely our high speed wireless connections and many devices that allow us to be reached and sent information everywhere) as the beginning of a lifestyle that loosely resembles Solaria. Critics foresee a time in the near future where this constant connectivity will intrude our personal lives so much that there will cease to be a personal life. Since we are always "on" we will be constantly expected to be available for anything that demands our attention. To me and for long as I can remember this has been one of the dumbest and short sighted views about technology that I have ever heard of. Finally after years and years of articles spelling the doom and gloom of a future where constant communication is a norm, here is an article that shows the other side of the constant connectivity coin, the bright future that always on really could be.

The article is fairly short so I won't quote from it, but the author brings up a good point which most people who see the future of wireless as bad rarely bring up. It's called the OFF switch or button or whatever you want it to be. People have told me the reason for not getting a cell phone is that they don't want to be able to be reached anywhere and everywhere, that they want some alone time. When I suggest in every conversation like this that I have that you don't always have to pick up the phone, or you can turn it off they seem to have been hit with some brick wall like argument that they can't possibly beat. "Why didn't they think of this themselves" I always ask myself. Sometimes they respond with "Yeah, but then I feel like I missed something" or "yeah but I feel like I have to pick it up". The key phrase here is "I feel..." Which to me seems like a personal problem. If you feel as though you have missed something when you don't answer your phone why would you just avoid a cell phone altogether which will no doubt lead to you missing countless things? And if you feel as though you need to pick it up that is a personal neurosis that needs to be handled in a private matter. Don't blame the tech for your own hang ups.

The Next and the Last...

Since it has been so long since my last post and since I really don't feel like writing anything about anything, I am going to continue my blog version of a cheesy clip show. Here is part 2 and 3 of the original "Beep Boppin' & Scattin' ". Enjoy.

Ok so some dissapointment here:
1) It turns out that I have lost an issue somewhere. So you are stuck with the lack luster and short 3rd issue.
2) It's about drug use, which I don't condone and don't take lightly. I was young, what can I say.

Beep Boppin' & Scattin'

An Essay On Life Issues

By Adeola Akinola

Well, I guess after years of not writing, it is time for another one of those essays. Much time has passed since the last issue, but many things have happened as well. We have all entered college successfully and are well on our way to being adults. Although we are quickly reaching this new stage in our life, it has occurred to me that some things never change. I see it when we meet during a vacation, and in the emails we write each other to stay in touch, the way we acted in Stuy towards each other, is still the same way we act now. It is actually something I look forward too when I come home. I figured that I might as well write a new issue to deal with some of the things we deal with in the days of our new lives. So here goes…

ADEOLA ON Drugs

Well, most who still keep in touch with me, know that this was going to be my first topic. What happened to “The Righteous Man” that you all knew of in high school? Well he is still around, for the most part. I am still the same Adeola that everyone knew. And I say this because most people look at me differently when I say some of the things I say regarding drugs. Well, let me just put it out there, I love drugs. How can you not like them? As with dribeez and fine asses (notice how I keep on going back to that), they are the things that make the world go round. Drugs can help you work through your toughest times, or they can be one of your toughest times. They can lead to hook ups, and as we all know that can be good or bad. They can bring people together, and they can divide an entire nation. Lets face it, China men fought wars over the shit, We lost Bruce Lee to it, and it has created a popular sub culture in today’s society. In general they are good for business. Lets not disregard all the interesting people you meet, while in the search for or on drugs. Of course everyone knows and loves the hippies. I mean they make cool shit, sell good drugs, and are among the most easy going people you will ever meet. In my mind they are a sought of clan, all hippies know all other hippies, and they are all in search for a world where they can do nothing but make cool looking bowls, listen to music, and do drugs. A place I would not mind living in. Then there are the dealers. “Aren’t these the same as the hippies?” NO!! The dealers are a sub culture of their own. They come in all shapes and size, with variety of personality completely irrelevant from what they are dealing. They sometimes deliver, sometimes you have to go hang out at their house, and sometimes, a meeting in a dark part of the city is needed to make the connection that is gonna make your nite worth while. Then of course, there’s your circle. Most of us have them, your friends that are directly related to you through drug use. The people will never rat you out, always give you the fat bag, and always, always share. Oddly enough

Honestly, this issue sucked. I remember writing it and thinking "Wow, this sucks". By this time I had only been on my own for a little over a year and was not really into anything that a lot of college kids were. I smoked dope and played rugby and watched anime. My old and I not being together didn't help either. Whereas in the first issue I had a wealth of common references to chosse from, here everything had to be explained and given context which is very time consuming and hard for someone who was most likely stoned at the time. Well that's it, I promise my next post will be better.