Connected living
Good Tuesday morning to you.....hope things are cool and lush in your part of the world. They're not here in central Kentucky, as most of us homeowners are breathlessly awaiting the rain that's due to fall in a couple of segments today.
I'm closing in on a new job opportunity (more on that once everything is finalized) but today I have some thoughts about the Internet, particularly since I've been using it more and more during my period of unemployment.
And I've had more time to reflect on the negative aspects of the web as well, and that reflection has been punctuated by what we've learned about the alleged perpetrator in the recent mass shootings in El Paso.
First, this spot and Twitter are about the only places where I express much of my opinions on anything of weight. I don't have a Facebook account (never have, never will, so sorry, not sorry, Zuck) and while I have an Instagram account, I use it to post photos that I like or view those of others in the same vein. In fact, I'll just say here that it still surprises me how many famous folks use Instagram as their vehicle for self-disclosure, but they can use it as they like.
I remember chat rooms and message boards from the earliest days of the Internet being more accessible. Back when I was a Prodigy user (remember that service, kinda like CompuServe or AOL?), I remember visiting a few message boards about musicians I liked and having some interesting but innocuous conversations with like-minded folks. Apparently, some of this stuff still exists, but in a lot different form that I knew.
For instance, there are sites called 8Chan and Telegram that, by all accounts, are common online destinations for extremists of various types. I've found that Telegram is actually an instant messaging service, but appears to be used more heavily than other similar services by the segment I mentioned. 8Chan apparently was expelled by their hosting service and has yet to find a new one, but I seriously doubt that either of these sites were originally conceived with this purpose in mind.
Here in the Smith household, however, we stream video, we communicate via e-mail and text message, we shop, we bank, and we do other stuff on the Web. A relatively new area for me is to research how to do something, mostly by viewing YouTube videos. For instance, the rear air conditioning (and heat) apparently stopped working a while back in my 2007 Honda Pilot SUV. I didn't know, because I'm generally the one driving. Anyway, researched this issue, and found that there is a common problem with this model of car, a resistor that isn't expensive and is easily replaced. I followed a video's step by step instructions, and, lo, rear air is now restored. Back seat passengers (usually the grandkids) are much happier.
We're probably in step with most folks who are in our general age category. I was in a store not long ago that had posted a sign indicating that they no longer accept paper checks, and commented to the sales clerk that I write a small number of checks every year. Fine with me.
I become pretty uncomfortable hearing about people who are found to have child pornography on their computers, as well as older men using online dating services (mainstream and otherwise) to arrange meetings and activities with underage girls, only to be caught in law enforcement sting operations.
And let me say about Twitter that despite people's complaints and comments, each user has ultimate control of his/her account, and more users need to exercise this option, instead of all of this handwringing. If you tire of a certain user spewing hate or negativity or outrageous opinions, unfollow them. I "prune" my account about every three months, and give some thought to the accounts that no longer provide worthwhile information or amusement. For a time, when we were first learning of the many allegations of misconduct by the Trump Administration, I followed numerous political reporters and sources, but eventually found that one or two were sufficient. Most of my followed accounts are related to baseball and humor, but even some of them have to be jettisoned once in a while.
I'll step down from my soapbox now....
I'm closing in on a new job opportunity (more on that once everything is finalized) but today I have some thoughts about the Internet, particularly since I've been using it more and more during my period of unemployment.
And I've had more time to reflect on the negative aspects of the web as well, and that reflection has been punctuated by what we've learned about the alleged perpetrator in the recent mass shootings in El Paso.
First, this spot and Twitter are about the only places where I express much of my opinions on anything of weight. I don't have a Facebook account (never have, never will, so sorry, not sorry, Zuck) and while I have an Instagram account, I use it to post photos that I like or view those of others in the same vein. In fact, I'll just say here that it still surprises me how many famous folks use Instagram as their vehicle for self-disclosure, but they can use it as they like.
I remember chat rooms and message boards from the earliest days of the Internet being more accessible. Back when I was a Prodigy user (remember that service, kinda like CompuServe or AOL?), I remember visiting a few message boards about musicians I liked and having some interesting but innocuous conversations with like-minded folks. Apparently, some of this stuff still exists, but in a lot different form that I knew.
For instance, there are sites called 8Chan and Telegram that, by all accounts, are common online destinations for extremists of various types. I've found that Telegram is actually an instant messaging service, but appears to be used more heavily than other similar services by the segment I mentioned. 8Chan apparently was expelled by their hosting service and has yet to find a new one, but I seriously doubt that either of these sites were originally conceived with this purpose in mind.
Here in the Smith household, however, we stream video, we communicate via e-mail and text message, we shop, we bank, and we do other stuff on the Web. A relatively new area for me is to research how to do something, mostly by viewing YouTube videos. For instance, the rear air conditioning (and heat) apparently stopped working a while back in my 2007 Honda Pilot SUV. I didn't know, because I'm generally the one driving. Anyway, researched this issue, and found that there is a common problem with this model of car, a resistor that isn't expensive and is easily replaced. I followed a video's step by step instructions, and, lo, rear air is now restored. Back seat passengers (usually the grandkids) are much happier.
We're probably in step with most folks who are in our general age category. I was in a store not long ago that had posted a sign indicating that they no longer accept paper checks, and commented to the sales clerk that I write a small number of checks every year. Fine with me.
I become pretty uncomfortable hearing about people who are found to have child pornography on their computers, as well as older men using online dating services (mainstream and otherwise) to arrange meetings and activities with underage girls, only to be caught in law enforcement sting operations.
And let me say about Twitter that despite people's complaints and comments, each user has ultimate control of his/her account, and more users need to exercise this option, instead of all of this handwringing. If you tire of a certain user spewing hate or negativity or outrageous opinions, unfollow them. I "prune" my account about every three months, and give some thought to the accounts that no longer provide worthwhile information or amusement. For a time, when we were first learning of the many allegations of misconduct by the Trump Administration, I followed numerous political reporters and sources, but eventually found that one or two were sufficient. Most of my followed accounts are related to baseball and humor, but even some of them have to be jettisoned once in a while.
I'll step down from my soapbox now....
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