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What is a blog anyway?

Well technically, I guess its a Web-log… bit hard to say, not so catchy… and so it became known as a blog. (see what they did there? oooh get you)

I think of it as an easy means for anyone to publish anything, which in my mind is what the web should be. (and why I’ll build anyone a site for pence)

Something occured to me today, about why blog growth has been quite so meteoric.

The internet, is so ridiculously huge that its easy to get lost and not find what you want, isn’t it?

Thats where blogs really plug the gap, they take the web and group it together into chunks… blogs on things that interest you, do the work for you… if you want to know about old atari computer games… guess what, there’s a blog about it. you name it, somewhere there is an authority on it.

Now the hardcore geeks will know all this, in the context of the whole “web 2.0″ thing… I’m still not sure I agree with that label, anyway… Clever sites that link meta-data and use phrases like contextualization and tagging. Spin n gubbins, bleurgh I say.

Fundamentally, blogs work because they fulfill a need… be it daily kitten pictures, gadget information, celebrity gossip or just staying in touch… they’re easy to write and read… they allow interaction…. subscriptions (RSS) …

…I’m just rambling now, aren’t I? Ok, sorry.

A blog is whatever you want it to be, and I love ‘em.

              

I’ve long been a fan of James Randi… the one man crusade against quackery. Well, he’s a whole foundation now and its more of a science thing than a religious crusade…. but I digress…

“The Jame Randi Educational Foundation offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.”

And guess what, no one has ever won the money. Funny that. Despite some big name TV “psychics” agreeing to take the test (one stated they would on larry king’s show) none actually have.

(5) What harm does it do to simply let people believe in silly things? Why do you take away their pleasant delusions?

The potential harm is very real, and dangerous. Belief in such obvious flummeries as astrology or fortune-telling can appear — quite incorrectly — to give confirmatory results, and that can lead to the victim pursuing more dangerous, expensive, and often health-related scams. Blind belief can be comforting, but it can easily cripple reason and productivity, and stop intellectual progress. We at JREF never try to impose our beliefs or philosophies on others; we only try to inform them, and suggest that there are alternate choices to be made. Examples of personal tragedies resulting from an uncritical embrace of supernatural claims, are plentiful.

It all started on a radio debate where he stated that it was all nonsense (he is an illusionist by trade, i should add!) and a paranormal investigator asked him to put his money where his mouth was… so he did.

Hooray for science!

              

Hello, firstly apologies for the scarcity of posts recently… I can’t believe how much time job hunting has taken up. How does anyone ever move jobs? I guess you have to quit and take a while out? Phone interviews, tests, assesments… wouldn’t it be good if I could just do them all once and everyone who wanted to employ me could see the same set of results?

Anyway… Creme Eggs…

Some weirdo has decided to make the humble creme egg into an ice cream… and damn them, its good! Just when I thought I’d got rid of my Creme Egg addiction for another year… first the creme egg bar and now a delicious ice cream!

Damn those evil Cadbury people!!!!

Hope y’all well n enjoying the sun.

              

“Fuck, fuck… fucketty fuck fuck!”

Yes, my life has become a film.

And as per the film, my first wedding of the year started with me running around saying “fuck” as I’d left my tie at home… no worries, a quick detour (not quite hurtling along in an old mini… an old micra) and we’re on the road to Wales for my cousins wedding… gorgeous reception, held in an old country house and grounds.

Whilst sat for dinner near the doors to outside, we noticed that the quartet had stopped playing suddenly… they had witnessed a poor little bird, attempt to leave his nest, only to land on the ground with a bit of a splat. Slightly distraught by this they resumed playing, until the poor bird started moving and chirping loudly.

Help was summoned, who promptly arrived to move the baby bird… unfortunately for the bird, he wasn’t really watching where he stepped and trod on it. The bird let out one final cheap and the poor cello player started crying.

Phew… at least it was only a bird, I was quite worried that I had 4 weddings this summer…

RIP little birdy

…at least the guests at my table saw the funny side of my request to the quartet for the funeral march…