'User-Friendly' only a Buzz-Word

Long ago, some short-sighted individuals held their hands across their hearts and sincerely promised that technology would make our lives easier. Then they gathered around the tribal campfire and together tried to figure out how to put this hot, orange stuff out.

When technology was born, it was followed almost instantaneously by the birth of something sinister; something which would become an eternal struggle, as man tried to tame and manipulate his surrounds to his own gain, much to his own folly.

To this day, crusty grey-haired men in oversized lab coats work tirelessly in spotless, white labs all around the world, striving to come up with smaller (such is the trend) and better ways to make our lives easier, more convenient, faster, quicker, more productive, less stressed, fat-free, and carbon neutral. And to a great degree, their efforts are to be commended. Science and progressive thought has produced everything from gadgets to ways of thinking, which reach these lofty goals.

Of course, there's a lot of crap too.

But recently it seems we have become saturated in all the latest 'must-haves' and their promises, and we are now looking for more multi-functional, cooperative, all-in-one means of taming our lives, to try and reduce the amount of clutter we have to carry around, as we strain our backs and harbour an almost instinctual fear of magnetic devices.

We've seen the 'all-in-one' remote, which with the push of a button can which between controlling your TV, your DVD, your stereo, your airconditioner, your microwave and your neighbours' pet rottweiler (that day flew, I can tell you). For Harry Potter fans out there, it has to be the closest we'll ever come to a magic wand.

We've also moved to Internet-powered refrigerators. I'm sorry, but.. 'Why?'

I have no idea what this was about, but surely it deserves a mention.

And now we come to the magnificent Apple iPhone. You can make phone calls (receive them, too) check email, send texts, listen to music, watch TV, surf the internet, order a pizza, book cardiac surgery, take photos, navigate cities (with some great, half-hour exceptions), notify you when you have appointments, tell you the temperature in Romania, calculate the square root of Pi, play games, manage your finances, buzz incessantly when you hold it too close to any kind of speaker, make your decisions and generally make your friends feel inferior and envious.

Yup. It's pretty much everything I want in life.

If it could find me the perfect relationship I'd buy two. (Not because I'm looking for polygamy, but because I'm a realist and I'd probably screw the first one up.)

That said, this last week has handed me a basket-load of technological quandries and dilemmas, which I intend to discuss in my next post as an attempt to maintain my sanity, and save Mrs Jones from next door from a bloody, sadistic encounter with a Rottweiler at my hands.

To be continued.

An Untimely Revival

Good morning all and sundry.

Long has the mangled corpse of this blog been lying static on the gurney. The medics have long since departed, the defibrillator is lying on the flood in what looks like coagulated inspiration, and an unpleasant smell has started to fill the air (although that might be the orderly). But not even death is convincing to some; certainly not to those who believe that one dismal attempt at a blog can't be regenerated to bring new life and a fresh perspective to an age already saturated with so many opinions (most of which are best suited to lining the bottom of your bird cage).

To synopsise, I'm giving blogging another go. So stay tuned.

After all, in this post-modern age where Truth seems little more than a five letter word beginning with 'T' (if indeed it's spelt that way at all), who could insist that my opinions, reflections and other digestations should stay captive in the cold, bitter recesses of my brain-box?

Well actually I took a poll. The results were quite interesting, and are discussed below.

When asked about the potential revival of Scott's Realm of Perpetual Ignorance,

• 100% of participants raised no objection;
• 100% of participants had no comment at all; and,
• 100% of participants were a lamp-shade.

Clearly a resounding chorus of approval.

So, with a new coat of paint, here's to an old blog getting a new start - new content, new sarcasm, cynicism, maybe even vandalism - here's hoping we can prompt ponderance, brew brainstorming and captivate comment.

I expect some opposition. There are those among of us who have already voiced negative opinions. If you're particularly interested you can find them at the bottom of your bird cage.

Thanks for your support.

More of the same

Welcome, one and all, to 2007 AD.

As many of you know (and hopefully most of you remember), last night was the time when the calendar heartily says, 'Congratulations! It sure was tough, but wow - you made it through the year! Now here, have another.'

I started my year off with a 'Woot', quite literally, spending the last few hours of 2006 with Ben, Amy & Clare. It was a good night - laughs a plenty (always a certainty with Clare), great dinner from Amy, and Dame Edna Everage impersonations by Ben (we played Cranium).

But that's all quite distinctly in the past now, and what follows is another 12 months of persevering with the Gospel for the sake of Christ, and whatever else we might get up to behind the scenes.

I still have two more weeks before starting work at the Hospital, and am slowly saying goodbye to the last decent holidays I'll ever have. Not to worry.

Between now and the start of next semester, I'll be joined in my house by Chris (permanent resident), Keagan and Vernon (college students temporarily seeking accommodation in Townsville). That makes two engineers, one pharmacist and one pharmacologist - the battle-lines seem evenly drawn.

Well I'm off to buy a paper to see if my letter to the editor was published - as for the rest of the day, I think some house-cleaning's in order.

Scott

Another attempt at revival, Happy Feet

No doubt most will have given up on me by now, but I'm starting this up again, primarily motivated by my family, who don't hear from me as often as they probably should.

Well, I'll give a review of the last few months at a later date, but this post is primarily to share a Letter to the Editor which I wrote to the Townsville Bulletin today. It probably won't be printed, but it might get others thinking. (see below)

Right now I am off to lunch before going to a wedding.

Cheers,
Scott

------------------------------------

To the editor,

In search of some innocent entertainment, I recently attended a showing of the all-singing, all-dancing, all-penguin film-sensation, Happy Feet. Instead, I found a sobering reminder of how easily children are exposed to undesirable influences.

Classified as General (G) by the Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC), and marketed as a children’s movie, the film’s opening musical number blatantly declares, "You don't have to be beautiful to turn me on. I just need your body, baby, from dusk till dawn." It doesn’t take a keen eye to spot additional coarse comments and sexual references, as well as one or two more-mature themes; all sadly missed [should have said 'ignored' - drat...'] by the OFLC.

According to the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, a classification board representative of the Australian community considers issues including morality and decency, and the intended or likely audience. If this board is truly representative, then Happy Feet is just one more example of how casual and desensitised society has become concerning inappropriate material.

If this trend continues, parents will no longer be able to make informed choices regarding what their children are exposed to. Then again, in an age where profanity and obscenity scream so freely from media such as advertising, entertainment and even fashion, I would argue that we can no longer even make such choices for ourselves.

My triumphant return

Well, I have just (give an hour and a bit) come out of the final exam which will get me those six lovely letters behind my name - 'B. Pharm' - and I am confident of a pass-worthy effort in all six exams! So with the Pharmacy School having finished tearing me apart, and although I am now clinically dead, I promised Joel that I would present my mangled corpse to you all as an offering of good will, and post on my blog. So on that note...



Hello all and sundry,

After having spent the last several weeks somewhere between the JCU School of Pharmacy and a very stressful place, it is time to make my triumphant return to the world of blogging. Oh, how I have missed the trivial discussions, the 'oh-better-check-my-blog-again-to-see-if-someone's-left-a-comment' episodes every ten minutes, and the satisfaction that comes from delivering subtle and carefully-worded insults without fear of physical reprisal from their intended recipients.

It's good to be back.

And it's even better to be all-but-finished my degree - two weeks off, six weeks' prac and then that is the proverbial 'that'. It's practically all a formality as far as I am concerned (I would have to inflict grievious bodily harm on a patient to fail, and even then they'd probably make exceptions).

But the terror ended today and I derived great pleasure (not disgusting or obscene in any way, but great pleasure regardless) from walking up to the Exams & Ceremonies office and submitting my 'Notice of Intention to Graduate' form.

Take that.

So, without further ado, I would sincerely like to offer some well-understated tokens of thanks to some peole.

Firstly, to God, without whose strength and peace I would be sitting in the corner of my room in the foetal position, rocking back and forth and making 'ung-ung-ung..' noises. He is faithful in all circumstances, abounding in mercy and love.

Secondly, to the med crew who came and visited me Monday night and sponsored my surgar breaks over the following three days. I have not laughed so hard in a long time - your visit lifted me up from a deep slump and reminded me that God was there.

And finally, to all those whom have been praying for me and delivering words of encouragement. Thankyou for your support; not only recently but over the last four years. I couldn't have made it this far without the friends whom God has blessed me with.


Now, having said that, and having fulfilled my promise to Joel, please excuse me; I am heading off to have my long-overdue nervous breakdown. I've earned it, and I'm damn-well going to have it.

Yours in Christ,
Scott