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Tech Thoughts From the iPad 2 Launch Line

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Yeah, I'm one of those crazy folk that waits on line for Apple products.  Aside from meeting similarly obsessed nerds, it also gives me a chance to actually churn out a post that I've been trying to do for a couple of days.  So here we go ...

I have a funny relationship with AOL.  I used the free CDs during my summers home from college to access the wonders of the web through my 28.8k modem, even though I had to brave the customer reps crying when I canceled at the end of the summer.  I no longer use AOL as a web portal, and I shuddered when they merged with Time Warner.  Currently, I respect AOL because they have invested money in some of my favorite sites such as Engadget and Techcrunch (though I don't think the Huffington Post acquisition was the best).  So I have a soft spot for my old buddies at AOL.

It saddens me that AOL has cut 20% of their work force.  I'm assuming that this is the best business decision, and it will make AOl leaner and meaner, but that is a lot of people being dumped into a still recovering economy.  Hopefully these people don't spend too long on the market, because this also has another affect: people that are just joining the workforce and attempting to jumpstart their careers will have no chance competing against a huge influx of ex-AOL employees.

I'm a Jersey boy, and they never fail to disappoint: they almost sold computers containing sensitive data.  According to Gizmodo, "Files on abused children, people's tax returns, computer passwords, names, addresses, birth dates and other information on hundreds of foster children and abused children and Social Security numbers all would've went public".  I really, really, really wish state governments will start hiring qualified people to make tech decisions.  Qualified people that know the internet isn't a series of tubes would ensure that mistakes like this are minimized.

Ok, time to finish my Italian BMT and continue chatting with the geeks.  Two more hours!

Brain Food

The recovery of Gabrielle Gifford after the horrible shooting a few months ago in Tucson has taken a surprising turn thanks to music therapy.  She suffered significant brain injury, and has been seeing success thanks to Don McLean. Check out the video below:

We've come very far in terms of understanding the body, but we have a way to go to truly understand how the brain works.  Here's a quote from the prescriber information for Vyvanse (emphasis is mine):

The mode of therapeutic action in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not known. Amphetamines are thought to block the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine into the presynaptic neuron and increase the release of these monoamines into the extraneuronal space.

By testing in petri dishes, animals, and humans, we are able to establish the efficacy of drugs even if we don't completely understand the mechanism of action.  However, there are side effects to every medication, and some patient populations that can't take the medications at all.  Whenever there are alternative ways to heal people, it's a good thing.  As science and technology advances, let's hope that we are able to treat people with no side effects at all!

We're getting there though - Bones says so.

 

Technology's Effect from "The King's Speech" to Now (Spoiler Free)

 

 

A local theatre is showing a second run of the recent Oscar nominees.  Since I am horrible at seeing movies when they are actually in theatres, I used this as an opportunity to see The King's Speech.  I knew the basic details of the plot before heading in, but I didn't realize that radio would feature so heavily into the plot of the movie.

Without going into spoiler trritory, the film covers a time span between the end of the first World War and the beginning of the second.  King George V successfully used radio (known as "the wireless") as a way to broadcast to the entire British empire, which was enormous at the time (over a quarter of the world's people according to the movie).  Not only did Colin Firth's character have to worry about stuttering in front of a large amounts of people in person - he also had to worry about how he sounded in front of the colonies that his family reigned over. 

For some of the King's subjects, this would be the only medium that they would actually hear the king's words from his mouth.  Colin had a powerful line in the movie where he stated "I am the seat of all authority because they think that when I speak, I speak for them."  Thus, the wireless would be an important test of the king's ability to speak for his subjects.

I couldn't help but notice the parallels between this era in history and our current time.  The very blog that I'm writing now is not just something that I jot down in my private notebook, or even send to a few friends - it's available to anyone with a web connection.  A bunch of questions ran through my mind when I first started blogging back in 2003.  Do I censor myself? Do I share the weird thoughts that may get a smile from a close friend but a shrug from a complete stranger?  Just how do I represent myself on the internet?

I choose to represent myself the same way that I would sit down and talk to someone that I just met.  I have various interests in technology that range of common (cell phones, etc.) to weird (obscure video games, etc.)  All of those topics are game for this blog.  I represent myself as a brand, and I plan to build my brand by providing well written content.

The issues in the King's Speech are vastly different from mine.  I can imagine living in an era where some people never see or hear from their leadership directly.  There is plenty of time to shape the message, to filter it, or even to have someone else deliver it.  All of the fallacies that a leader has can be easily smoothed out with they are not forced to be put on the spot.

TAnd of course, he King wasn't exactly blogging.  I have edit, autosave, and spellcheck.  Even if I did a video blog (I refuse to call it "vlog"), I'd be able to shoot as many takes as I like.  Even live shows on television usually have a slight tape delay to bleep out any curse words or cut the feed if something terrible happens.  The wireless meant that you HAD to be an eloquent speaker to be able to inspire your subjects in early 20th century England

After seeing the movie, I understand why it got best picture.  I loved The Social Network but The King's Speech is a much better movie.