Apparently, a niche programming-oriented website called phpbb.com had thousands of user passwords stolen because people were using all the kinds of passwords they weren't supposed to use, like '123456' or 'abc123,' etc. I find it hilarious, that even for websites that're hobbies, people don't put slightly more sophisticated passwords.
I mean, really, how difficult is it to write '654321'?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
TOW: Waiting
Have you ever waited for something, hoping it will happen? Have you ever thought, "I wish I was doing (insert 'x' here) right NOW? Why do I have to wait? I hate waiting. Waiting sucks! Sucks-Sucks-Sucks! Arrrrgggggghhhh!" (I'm sure some people insert different words here and there when they're frustrated with waiting, but different strokes for different folks.) Did you know that we spend an average of 2-3 years of our lives waiting in line to pay for something? Isn't that CRAZY? Now, there is waiting in line of many kinds, whether at the grocery store, or a Marilyn Manson concert, which can be annoying, but even more irritating, is waiting for answers. Argh! Aren't you tired of this blog post? Don't you just want it to end and for me to tell you the secret of life??!! AUGH!
I know that I hate waiting for information after I've requested it several times. I know my mother hates waiting in traffic, often to the point of verging on homicidal behaviour to the drivers around her. Everyone has something they hate waiting for. And waiting, often, is an annoying interruption in that smooth, smooth cycle of life.
Strangely enough, there is a philosophy of waiting. And not surprisingly, one of the most irritating philosophers of all time, Martin Heidegger, just happens to have all the philosophical answers in regards to waiting. Weird, but you're going to have to wait to the next paragraph to get an explanation.
Heidegger said that when people find themselves unexpectedly waiting, with nothing to do, nothing to distract them, they begin to feel what Heidegger calls angst. We feel like there is 'nothing' we can do, and this makes us feel, really, consciously, our place in the world. Sometimes when we are caught unexpectedly waiting, we're really there, and not off day-dreaming about owning a mansion, or making lists in our head, etc. We feel bored, and pensive. And usually we don't like it. We would rather be living in that mansion in our head, or doing something else, anything else, but waiting. When we feel angst, or anxiety, we often feel compelled to waste our time with something trivial, something meaningless, to prevent us from having to focus on ourselves, on being-in-the-world.
However, Heidegger also said that there was a big difference between living authentically, and living inauthentically. We shouldn't be afraid of those periods of waiting we experience. When we experience angst, it's one of our few chances to motivate ourselves to make real change in our lives. The rest of the time, well, we're waiting until the next time we wake up from our usual dream state of smooth, smooth living. Because every moment should be valuable, and it's usually only when we're waiting, that we realize we don't always use our time to its fullest.
And yeah, I know I missed two TOWs.
Sorry for the wait. =)
I know that I hate waiting for information after I've requested it several times. I know my mother hates waiting in traffic, often to the point of verging on homicidal behaviour to the drivers around her. Everyone has something they hate waiting for. And waiting, often, is an annoying interruption in that smooth, smooth cycle of life.
Strangely enough, there is a philosophy of waiting. And not surprisingly, one of the most irritating philosophers of all time, Martin Heidegger, just happens to have all the philosophical answers in regards to waiting. Weird, but you're going to have to wait to the next paragraph to get an explanation.
Heidegger said that when people find themselves unexpectedly waiting, with nothing to do, nothing to distract them, they begin to feel what Heidegger calls angst. We feel like there is 'nothing' we can do, and this makes us feel, really, consciously, our place in the world. Sometimes when we are caught unexpectedly waiting, we're really there, and not off day-dreaming about owning a mansion, or making lists in our head, etc. We feel bored, and pensive. And usually we don't like it. We would rather be living in that mansion in our head, or doing something else, anything else, but waiting. When we feel angst, or anxiety, we often feel compelled to waste our time with something trivial, something meaningless, to prevent us from having to focus on ourselves, on being-in-the-world.
However, Heidegger also said that there was a big difference between living authentically, and living inauthentically. We shouldn't be afraid of those periods of waiting we experience. When we experience angst, it's one of our few chances to motivate ourselves to make real change in our lives. The rest of the time, well, we're waiting until the next time we wake up from our usual dream state of smooth, smooth living. Because every moment should be valuable, and it's usually only when we're waiting, that we realize we don't always use our time to its fullest.
And yeah, I know I missed two TOWs.
Sorry for the wait. =)
VOW: Cheese Rolling Competition 2008
Quoting the author of the video:
From the 2008 Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake, where every year fearless competitors from around the world tumble down an almost vertical hill in Gloucester, UK, chasing an 8lb Double Gloucester Cheese. It can never really be caught as it reaches breakneck speeds, but the first person to cross the line at the bottom of the hill wins the coveted cheese. Thousands of spectators turned up to watch again this year, and there were also a few of the usual injuries. Thankfully St John's Ambulances were on hand to whisk the casualties away to the local hospital.
In other words: Best sports competion, EVER.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Thoughtless?
Hey guys and gals,
Alex is here, so I might wait until this weekend to do a thought of the week. It certainly helps that I have had to do a lot of writing this week for other things. =)
I will post this weekend sometime!
Alex is here, so I might wait until this weekend to do a thought of the week. It certainly helps that I have had to do a lot of writing this week for other things. =)
I will post this weekend sometime!
Friday, May 15, 2009
HUZZAH! MY FIRST PIECE OF SWAG!
I finally got my first music interview published here, and my next interview will be published in June's issue. The best part is that the band gave me a free cd! I'm so popular I don't know what to do with myself!
=D
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
TOW: Overindulgence
That is the LAST time I eat two bags of salty and sweet popcorn in one sitting.
End of thought of the week.
End of thought of the week.
VOW: Monster Feature
I won't lie to you. I would love to see this film. Video courtesy of Chris this week.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Swine Flu in SK
Finally, two ladies visited Mexico from Saskatchewan and got the flu. Anyone else surprised at how many women are getting the flu? Most cases I've heard it's been women. =/
So much for retreating to the land-bound province to avoid the next plague. Thanks, globalization.
So much for retreating to the land-bound province to avoid the next plague. Thanks, globalization.
Hail, Stephen
Has anyone else heard the speech that Harper made to troops in Afghanistan? Does it bother anyone else that Harper says " We are grateful/sorrowful for our Fallen Comrades"? Anyone?
I'm personally disturbed.
I'm personally disturbed.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
TOW: Are Newspapers Dying?
I read a very interesting article about the 'first' death of newspapers that happened back in 1918. The debts were high, people thought that democracy would be absolutely crushed by the loss of multiple views in the press. After all, with only one morning daily, how can a big city survive? They need more opinions, more views, more takes on a singular subject. How can we LIVE without ten different people talking about one thing in a physical rag? How???
As someone who is planning on going into the great field of public relations, there is something to be said for the art of 'spin.' Spin, as defined by the all-seeing Wikipedia, is "is providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure". The point of spin is to influence people one way or another. Now, there are good uses of spin, and bad uses of spin, but in relation to the death of the newspaper, we are seeing the advent of a good kind of spin. Why is that? That's because there are less political relationships associated with publishers. There aren't as many top-down relations in the media now. Now people have the right and the ability to access media in a variety of ways, thanks to the advent of the Internet. (Unless you live in China. Sorry, China.)
More and more, media is represented by one person, versus a group of people with a similar goal. (Although group of dedicated individuals sometimes blog together in one online space.) and more people who represent nothing but themselves, an expert commentator. In other words, it's sort of like the invention of the telephone. We are brought infinitely closer to experts in less time than ever before.
However, while certainly, the article says that the newspaper is not dying, they are somewhat mistaken. Because physically, the newspaper is dying. There are fewer reasons to use a newspaper, and a major reason that keeps the newspaper alive, namely ad revenue,
used to be supplied by classified ads. But as anyone who uses the Internet knows, you can easily meet your needs on the internet, usually for free. As well, advertisers are finding, statistically, that advertising is not as effective as it was in the past. So, while most newspapers might survive online, I doubt they will continue to thrive in the same way they have in the future. Given the economic crisis, combined with the green culture springing up left and right, it might be time for somebody to yell, 'Stop the presses.'
As someone who is planning on going into the great field of public relations, there is something to be said for the art of 'spin.' Spin, as defined by the all-seeing Wikipedia, is "is providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure". The point of spin is to influence people one way or another. Now, there are good uses of spin, and bad uses of spin, but in relation to the death of the newspaper, we are seeing the advent of a good kind of spin. Why is that? That's because there are less political relationships associated with publishers. There aren't as many top-down relations in the media now. Now people have the right and the ability to access media in a variety of ways, thanks to the advent of the Internet. (Unless you live in China. Sorry, China.)
More and more, media is represented by one person, versus a group of people with a similar goal. (Although group of dedicated individuals sometimes blog together in one online space.) and more people who represent nothing but themselves, an expert commentator. In other words, it's sort of like the invention of the telephone. We are brought infinitely closer to experts in less time than ever before.
However, while certainly, the article says that the newspaper is not dying, they are somewhat mistaken. Because physically, the newspaper is dying. There are fewer reasons to use a newspaper, and a major reason that keeps the newspaper alive, namely ad revenue,
used to be supplied by classified ads. But as anyone who uses the Internet knows, you can easily meet your needs on the internet, usually for free. As well, advertisers are finding, statistically, that advertising is not as effective as it was in the past. So, while most newspapers might survive online, I doubt they will continue to thrive in the same way they have in the future. Given the economic crisis, combined with the green culture springing up left and right, it might be time for somebody to yell, 'Stop the presses.'
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