Sorry- slept in. The weather changed so of course I have a head cold.
Early Morning Open Thread: Why Facebook?
Gawker, under the heading “Things We Actually Like“, links to Matt McKeon’s elegant visualization of The Evolution of Privacy on Facebook. Click on the link to view, but I’ll give you a spoiler: Discretion is not a key component of Facebook’s future monetization plans.
The thing is, I am relatively old (54), asocial, and technologically challenged. Also, I picked up most of my writing and interpersonal skills in a hyperliterate subculture (sf fandom) where we learned the dangers of oversharing even in limited-membership forums with hardcopy distributions measured in double digits. Having discovered at an impressionable age that the considerable limits of twilltone and ditto technology could not protect me from knowing more than I cared to about a new acquaintance’s sexual peccadillos and/or pop-culture enthusiasms, I have never felt much impulse to join any internet-based “social technology” more advanced than Yahoo Groups.
On the other hand, Facebook seems to have crossed some sociological threshold that earlier incarnations like MySpace never approached. “Everybody” is on Facebook, because it’s assumed that sooner or later everyone will “need” Facebook. I am obviously not Mark Zuckerberg’s dream target — if I wanted to be in touch with my high school classmates I wouldn’t have avoided all those reunions, and my job skills are not the sort for which HR departments websurf — but I’m genuinely curious as to how many people here actually do consider their Facebook accounts a modern essential.
To phrase it another way: What kind of violation of trust or privacy would it take for you to give up your Facebook account?
Early Morning Open Thread: Why Facebook?Post + Comments (145)
Open Thread
Pens v. Habs. Go Pens!
Also, don’t forget Betty White on SNL.
*** Update ***
I forgot the big news- my brother has finally decided he wants to get a dog. He is going to get a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and is very, very excited. My sister and I pressured him to get a rescue pet, but he really loves the Griffons and wants one that will spend a lot of time in the woods with him, so who are we to but in.
I also realized that he and I want a completely different skill set in a dog. I want a dog who will go for walks with me and sit on my lap while occasionally looking up at me lovingly. That skill set can pretty much be found in every pound.
He plans on naming the dog Otis, but I thought you all might be able to come up with something better.
Open Thread: Celebrating Birth Control
There’s nothing like listening to a couple of lesbians singing about birth control and beer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the pill.
Another Open Thread
Sorry for the long pause- must have been radio silence for at least four or five hours- but I just got home. Had a great time- met a bunch of new people, had some good eats, and met some people who actually read the blog, which was cool. From what I gather, I need to run Tunch for office- this is how realignments happen. Music that sums up my mood:
Enjoy.
Late Night Open Thread
The old one was getting full.
Friday Night Open Thread
Heading to a friend’s house for a party, so I thought I better leave you all a thread or things might get messy.
BTW- I desperately need ti find some decent and inexpensive glassware. I lost mine in the move, and am currently drinking scotch out of a Tunch mug. Which is ok, I guess, but still.