It is real amazing what you can discover if you just keep quiet and listen. And with an Internet search you can find it. The music from this post comes from a project called The Fireman. It features Paul McCartney and a man named Youth. Youth is a member of the British punk industrial band The Killing Joke. This band has been an influence on such Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and Primus to name a few. They were never really a mainstream act. However, they did help to shape the sound of many punk and metal bands.
MUSIC: The Fireman
As many of you know I joined Facebook over a week ago to see what would happen in this process I have been calling “The Social Networking Experiment.” It has gone very well in a short amount of time. I am amazed at the amount of people I have been able to connect and re-connect with. I have also found some interesting observations too in this endeavor. I now realize that some of my “friends” have more free time then they claim to have. HINT: Don’t post as often if you want to claim being busy. I found that a friend of my mine is jealous he is not a news correspondent. He sure keeps enough current events post on his page. CLUE: I do put subtle things in my posts without naming him directly. I just want to make sure he is being honest when he says that he does read my blog. CLUE 2: It usually takes a day or two before he e-mails me to let me know that I should “Fuck off”. CLUE 3: He deserves it. (The last clue was more of a fact.)
The other thing that I have noticed is why Facebook differs from MySpace. It is simple. Facebook requires you to use your real name. MySpace you have a screen name. And people create a “persona” that is in line with that name. I know this is not true in all case. I still have a MySpace account. I am still getting the Internet sluts wanting to be my friend. And then they want me to check out their photos. I got one yesterday from a woman shaking her chest in the photo. However, she looked like she was old enough to be just short of collecting a social security check. I do not need this. The problem is that people like this are going to add nothing to future of my own website. And I am not paying for theirs.
There was a story today on the radio that generated a lot of discussion about the repercussions of Facebook. The Philadelphia Eagles fired a gatekeeper for his comments about the team losing a star player. I heard one radio personality comment that in our modern age all people are entitled to one “Mulligan” when it comes to Facebook, MySpace, or any social site postings. I think they were being just too sensitive in firing him. MEMO: To all professional sports teams. The Internet also serves the same function that any sports bar does. People are going to talk shit about their team. I am a Buffalo Bills fan trying to come to terms with the implications of signing Terrell Owens. MEMO 2: To any boss. Your employees talk shit about you. Why do you think Dilbert comics are funny? The Internet just speed up the process that has been going on ever since a paycheck was first issued and the phrase “Play Ball!” came into existence. Get over yourself. People have opinions. Americans love to announce their opinions. The Bill of Rights was the way the “Founding Fathers” of United States insured that for future generations bullshit was possible. (Let me point out Bullshit is so important to society Wikipedia has a page for it. Click the link). Bullshit is something to debate. Debate is democracy. You do not have to like or even accept the bullshit. But you can let people know your opinion about the bullshit. I hate that every DVD comes with the disclaimer that the opinions expressed are not that of management. So how can you ever fire someone for an opinion when you have the disclaimer? My opinion alone will never tank the stock of a good company.
It will be a dangerous time when the only group that can express an opinion is that of standup comics. And if that happens they will not have much time left to be on stage.
The last word from the patron saint of “Speaking One’s Mind”. George Carlin.
And I wish there was a “Punch” instead of “Poke” feature on Facebook. Or maybe the ability to send a “Wedgie”. Just a thought.
