Monday Musings...
Welcome to another week.
We had some much-needed shower in our area over the past 72 hours, and that means I won't have to drag out the hose and water the plants "manually"...!
Temperatures are bit more settled...and farther away from those nasty mid-90s we had last week. Humidity is also down, so we won't have to wring out the air before we breathe it!
Before we jump into the deep end of this week's pool of knowledge and immerse ourselves in the waters of erudition, I want to extend a congratulations to the Boy Scouts of America, who are celebrating their 100th year with their annual jamboree in Virginia beginning today! I spent my share of time in the scouts, and it as some of the best times I remember as a lad.
My only regret was that I didn't stay with it...we moved around a lot when I was young, and the old troop 330 back in Philly is but a fond memory.
I went to my only LIVE baseball game in the old Connie Mack Stadium back there.
Now THAT was something I will always remember. Never had the urge to go to any game since then.
Anyway, the BSA will have to build themselves a city at Fort A.P. Hill (site of the celebration) which means a police station, fire station, first-aid station and even a post office! Those kids are going to be BUSY.
Here is the website to the organization:
http://www.bsajamboree.org/
Every visitor who attends will be asked to donate $10 to become a centennial visitor with a distinctive patch. The money will got for restoration of the area. It's a very small price to pay for ALL the good that's done by this organization. So, if you're in the area, feel free to stop by and see what the future leaders of America will be doing this week. Do remember that's it's rolling ground, and provisions for handicapped will be limited.
Now, with that aside...let's take a moment to think about what made a lot of this possible.
It's the DIGITAL REALM, people.
And if ever there was a two-edged sword to be found in life my friends, THIS is it.
While things such as the Internet have allowed people to become friends over vast distances and meet people they would not normally have to chance to otherwise get to know (or in my particular case...marry), it has also caused it's share of problems.
Things such as blogging have permitted the "average Joe or Jane" to become ersatz philosophers, journalists, writers, poets, and much more.
Internet and the computer has allowed each of us to tap that inner muse and bring to others that which we feel needs to be said, or perhaps that that we only wish to share with others.
But, as with all things, it does come with a price (and we're not just talking about the hardware/software costs, and the provider fees).
As I've stated here more than a few times, we have sacrificed parts of ourselves that are important to social interaction.
Some people have written books (you remember those, right? Lots of type-written pages with covers that include pictures on them and/or in them.) about how the advent of ALL this digital technology is affecting our brains (who knew?).
"Man is a social creature"...that phrase can be traced back as far as ARISTOTLE.
We require personal interaction.
The digital realm seems to make that easier, but actually keeps us FROM one another.
We see the evidence all around us.
People ALWAYS seem to have a cell phone glued to their ear, or they're too busy texting someone else.
And all this "thumbing our way through life" (which used to be called HITCHHIKING in bygone years) IS screwing with our brain's neurons.
We are "rewiring" our brains to become digitally afflicted with a technological form of A.D.D.
Here's the source article as it appeared in yesterday's (local) paper:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100725/ENT07/307259892
I'll let you make your own determination about this...but think about it.
Now, if you're caught up in all this "digital revolution", you must have encountered some "glitches" along the way, right?
For example:
We NEVER had pixelation of our TV screens when we had ANALOG broadcast, did we?
(that's when the picture freezes and all you see are lotsa cute colored squares instead of the program you were watching...or maybe recording).
We NEVER had as many weird-ass problems with our VEHICLES before we had "computers" running every function under the hoods, did we?
(that's why your mechanic these days isn't just a "wrench-turner"...he's gotta be a computer whiz as well)
We NEVER had more vehicular accidents attributable to people busy with some electronic gizmo in their hands or against their head when they SHOULD be concentrating on DRIVING the damn car...did we?
We NEVER had so much access to other people all the damn time as we do now, did we?
(we used to be able to go a few hours before calling folks back then...amazing what we did with ALL that extra time on our hands)
We NEVER had to pay so much for a postage stamp, as we do today with all the technology.
(the USPS needs to digitize to stay competitive...how did I know THAT was coming?)
Now, if your town has a radio "system" in place for it's POLICE/FIRE departments, you can expect them all to "change up" in the very near future. Thanks to a FEDERAL mandate, ALL systems will have to become DIGITAL, and that means more money to upgrade all that equipment, perhaps at the cost of some officers or firefighters. These systems don't come CHEAP, either.
I know Fort Wayne is looking at blowing about $700K for their uprated radio systems...only a few YEARS after it's last upgrade to the new 800 Mhz freqs.
We've already seen how many cities have laid off police and firefighters...some towns have even DISBANDED police departments COMPLETELY, because of budgetary concerns. That's NOT really promoting "public safety", is it?
But it IS a fact of our DIGITAL AGE.
Like I said...a REAL two-edged sword.
We can always find some method of being digitally-entertained, while on the other hand, we're having to cut back public servants sworn to uphold the law and protect us on our very streets, not to mention be there if a fire breaks out and rescue us.
In some ways, it's like we're almost expected to FALL UPON that two-edged sword at some point in our lives.
Sorry, but neither SEPPUKU nor HARAKIRI are in my immediate future plans...how about you?
Still, we have to deal with this digital juggernaut, like it or not.
HOW we deal with it will no doubt determine how WE, as a civilization either flourish or fall.
This type of technology has the potential to do EITHER...if we allow it.
Like I say, I do enjoy my time online here with my friends at our "electronic" fence...neighbors that share experiences, thoughts, views, (and even a recipe once in a while), and it sure beats the hell out of having to DRIVE all over the place to visit all of you (especially with gas costing as much as it does...it ain't the 60s with 59 cents a gallon prices any longer).
I view what we all have here as our own form of "town", where we can chat, or visit one another when want to.
I don't feel the addictive tendencies that much of this technology has brought to many.
Then again, I still can write letters, and use a proper phone as well.
My brain hasn't succumbed to this digital revolution yet....I'm way too busy being a revolutionary in my own little kingdom, dealing with my own brand of serfs, oafs, and varlets.
And the city STILL won't allow either my MOAT or TREBUCHET on the lawn...!
I trust you will also remain grounded in HUMANITY, and come to know this technology for what it really is...a TOOL...a device to enhance one's life...NOT to usurp and rule it (with a digital fist).
Be well, make a difference today, and...
Stay safe out there, America.