The internet may have enabled unprecedented government surveillance but it also enabled YouTube. YouTube has got to go down as one of the greatest services of my lifetime. There is so much content. So many movie clips, so much music. Millions of cat videos and crazy Russian drivers. Want to know how to airbrush a model airplane? YouTube. Replace your wired in alarm panel? YouTube. Get dressed in the 1700s? YouTube. Dispose of a body? YouTube. Well maybe not the last one.
Seeing that clip that of the F-14 being demo’ed for the Shah of Iran brought back that memory, that joy of being there and seeing that airplane for the first time. I had a certain affinity for the Shah after that. Enabled by YouTube.
In November 2019, Neo had a post about love at first sight. It inspired me to try my hand at writing a story. I am no writer and the result is what it is. I wanted to include an anecdote that had been told to me in the early 1980s by the sister-in-law of a rock musician. The guy was a member of a band that I was very familiar with, in fact Neo featured their front man in one of her music posts in the last 5 or 6 months. I was wondering first of all if it was true and if so when and where it might have occurred. In less than an hour I found, on YouTube, an obscure recording the of the performance in the anecdote. I was stunned that more than 35 years after I heard the tale, I was able to see the performance with my own eyes. The anecdote was true. Enabled by YouTube.
It is a small thing, but is still amazing to me. I mention it now because I heard yesterday that one of the band members has died. A couple of the key places in the story I wrote were demolished before now but rest were all torn down last year. It is all fading away except for the shadows on the internet.
I often look at those Daily Dose of Internet roundups. It’s a pity that so many of the originals that the fellow uses to compile are on places like Facebook or Instagram that I don’t care to use, else I’d really go for looking at more of the particularly amazing clips. He often cuts them tantalizingly short, but one does have to move on at some point, after all, and he rarely has any mere filler.
By the way, I learned today that my personal decision regarding vaccination has just resulted in a minor, small cost in the form of a consequent reactive decision by a friend not to participate in an activity that I help run which is of some personal importance to us both. I realize I’m being cryptic here, but I’m sure the reasons for that approach will be appreciable to you all. (Hello, government officials! *wave*) My friend’s reaction admittedly strikes me as mostly logical given his/her personal situation, but it has still left me with an unpleasant feeling all day. I think that part of it is due to the fact that this decision was relayed to me through a mutually respected third party rather than face-to-face, although that too has its reasons and my friend presumably didn’t intend any slight and may not even have meant it to work out as it did.
But I think the other reason for my mood is the fact that this is the first moment that I can think of since this whole issue started up when someone else has found my decision on the topic personally problematic and drawn direct consequences from that. I suspect there will be more such moments and this may be just a small down payment. It’s probably old news for some of you in your own circles, but the first time this sort of thing hits is always the hardest, I suppose.
One for the Sci-Fi Fans:
The first two episodes of the long-awaited Bigger Than Ben Hur adaptation of Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy + extra bits have dropped on Apple TV+ as of this just gone Friday in your Timezone. Further episodes will be appearing weekly for the rest of the current season.
It’s early days. I’ve watched both episodes and the production values are as good as one would expect. Unfortunately there are of course some whiffs of Transgressive Poz, too. But Shofar Sho Good(enough). Cautiously optimistic.
If they don’t voice the mind-manipulating social puppet-master Second Foundationers as being a trifle Fresh-From-the-Pale as Asimov himself (the Wiley Prankster!) did, I’m going to demand a refund.
The Empire in TV series is more Persian than Roman. Cf books..
Chases Eagles: It’s hard to sense a loss of freedoms when at the same time the internet is so empowering.
@EvaMarie:
But then you’re not in Sydney or Melbourne 😀
For which, count your lucky stars.
Zaphod: You’re right.
TL;DR: Fresh Kids! Crunchy!
But career-ending and possibly criminal offense to discuss it today in AU. They were profoundly spiritual environmental stewards, doncherknow?
A mention of NZ Maori cannibalism in the comments… This is rather more common knowledge even today. The Maoris had an extra twist in that they weren’t averse to exhuming the dead of their defeated enemies and eating them, too.
Everyone still in bed?
Interesting clips. Especially the gentleman who could mimic bird sounds. Turnabout is fair play: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VRbl0QE3KWA
The internet may have enabled unprecedented government surveillance but it also enabled YouTube. YouTube has got to go down as one of the greatest services of my lifetime. There is so much content. So many movie clips, so much music. Millions of cat videos and crazy Russian drivers. Want to know how to airbrush a model airplane? YouTube. Replace your wired in alarm panel? YouTube. Get dressed in the 1700s? YouTube. Dispose of a body? YouTube. Well maybe not the last one.
Seeing that clip that of the F-14 being demo’ed for the Shah of Iran brought back that memory, that joy of being there and seeing that airplane for the first time. I had a certain affinity for the Shah after that. Enabled by YouTube.
In November 2019, Neo had a post about love at first sight. It inspired me to try my hand at writing a story. I am no writer and the result is what it is. I wanted to include an anecdote that had been told to me in the early 1980s by the sister-in-law of a rock musician. The guy was a member of a band that I was very familiar with, in fact Neo featured their front man in one of her music posts in the last 5 or 6 months. I was wondering first of all if it was true and if so when and where it might have occurred. In less than an hour I found, on YouTube, an obscure recording the of the performance in the anecdote. I was stunned that more than 35 years after I heard the tale, I was able to see the performance with my own eyes. The anecdote was true. Enabled by YouTube.
It is a small thing, but is still amazing to me. I mention it now because I heard yesterday that one of the band members has died. A couple of the key places in the story I wrote were demolished before now but rest were all torn down last year. It is all fading away except for the shadows on the internet.
I often look at those Daily Dose of Internet roundups. It’s a pity that so many of the originals that the fellow uses to compile are on places like Facebook or Instagram that I don’t care to use, else I’d really go for looking at more of the particularly amazing clips. He often cuts them tantalizingly short, but one does have to move on at some point, after all, and he rarely has any mere filler.
By the way, I learned today that my personal decision regarding vaccination has just resulted in a minor, small cost in the form of a consequent reactive decision by a friend not to participate in an activity that I help run which is of some personal importance to us both. I realize I’m being cryptic here, but I’m sure the reasons for that approach will be appreciable to you all. (Hello, government officials! *wave*) My friend’s reaction admittedly strikes me as mostly logical given his/her personal situation, but it has still left me with an unpleasant feeling all day. I think that part of it is due to the fact that this decision was relayed to me through a mutually respected third party rather than face-to-face, although that too has its reasons and my friend presumably didn’t intend any slight and may not even have meant it to work out as it did.
But I think the other reason for my mood is the fact that this is the first moment that I can think of since this whole issue started up when someone else has found my decision on the topic personally problematic and drawn direct consequences from that. I suspect there will be more such moments and this may be just a small down payment. It’s probably old news for some of you in your own circles, but the first time this sort of thing hits is always the hardest, I suppose.
One for the Sci-Fi Fans:
The first two episodes of the long-awaited Bigger Than Ben Hur adaptation of Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy + extra bits have dropped on Apple TV+ as of this just gone Friday in your Timezone. Further episodes will be appearing weekly for the rest of the current season.
It’s early days. I’ve watched both episodes and the production values are as good as one would expect. Unfortunately there are of course some whiffs of Transgressive Poz, too. But Shofar Sho Good(enough). Cautiously optimistic.
If they don’t voice the mind-manipulating social puppet-master Second Foundationers as being a trifle Fresh-From-the-Pale as Asimov himself (the Wiley Prankster!) did, I’m going to demand a refund.
The Empire in TV series is more Persian than Roman. Cf books..
Chases Eagles: It’s hard to sense a loss of freedoms when at the same time the internet is so empowering.
@EvaMarie:
But then you’re not in Sydney or Melbourne 😀
For which, count your lucky stars.
Zaphod: You’re right.
TL;DR: Fresh Kids! Crunchy!
But career-ending and possibly criminal offense to discuss it today in AU. They were profoundly spiritual environmental stewards, doncherknow?
https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2021/09/the-incidence-of-cannibalism-in-aboriginal-society/
A mention of NZ Maori cannibalism in the comments… This is rather more common knowledge even today. The Maoris had an extra twist in that they weren’t averse to exhuming the dead of their defeated enemies and eating them, too.
“…empowering…” Indeed, but is it TRUE?
(But then, does it have to be?)
Anyway, for those of us who don’t know how to ask OR are too polite to make a fuss (OR just don’t bother anymore)…:
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/30-facts-you-need-know-covid-cribsheet
Once again (with spirit), “But is it TRUE?”…and how would one know if it was or wasn’t…?
Another desperate (if very well thought) effort to understand the potentialities of the current crisis—or rather, avalanche of crises—by seeking the wisdom of giants past:
https://amgreatness.com/2021/09/25/how-it-might-end-act-i/
(But will it be enough?)
Penguins are from Venus. Men are from Mars…
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/33418/20210913/penguin-feces-containing-element-usually-found-venus-discovered-scientists-baffled.htm
“Tulsi Gabbard warns” about the threat her party poses to the country…
https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-warns-about-story-boiling-beneath-news-cycle-a-threat-to-our-country-and-our-democracy
Chicago weekly status
Chicago shootings: 48 shot, 6 fatally, in weekend gun violence
https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-violence-shootings-gun/11049129/